Socioeconomic status of indigenous peoples with active tuberculosis in Brazil: a principal components analysis

Abstract

Indigenous people usually live in precarious conditions and suffer a disproportionally burden of tuberculosis in Brazil. To characterize the socioeconomic status of indigenous peoples with active tuberculosis in Brazil, this cross-sectional study included all Amerindians that started tuberculosis treatment between March 2011 and December 2012 in four municipalities of Mato Grosso do Sul state (Central-Western region). We tested the approach using principal components analysis (PCA) to create three socioeconomic indexes (SEI) using groups of variables: household characteristics, ownership of durable goods, and both. Cases were then classified into tertiles, with the 1 st tertile representing the most disadvantaged. A total of 166 indigenous cases of tuberculosis were included. 31.9% did not have durable goods. 25.9% had family bathroom, 9.0% piped water inside the house and 53.0% electricity, with higher proportions in Miranda and Aquidauana. Houses were predominantly made using natural materials in Amambai and Caarapó. Miranda and Aquidauana had more cases in the 3 rd tertile (92.3%) and Amambai, in the 1 st tertile (37.7%).The indexes showed similar results and consistency for socioeconomic characterization.The percentage of people in the 3 rd tertile increased with years of schooling. The majority in the 3 rd tertile received Bolsa Família, a social welfare programme. This study confirmed the applicability of the PCA using information on household characteristics and ownership of durable goods for socioeconomic characterization of indigenous groups and provided important evidence of the unfavorable living conditions of Amerindians with tuberculosis in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Identification of a predominant genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Brazilian indigenous population

“…Selected samples reflected the characteristics of the overall TB patient population in the study area 14 , 15 (Supplemental 1 —Study Characteristics). Diagnosed patients were 62% male (71% of patients from whom we obtained WGS data).…”