Prevalence of pneumonia and associated factors among indigenous children in Brazil: results from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition

Background Based on data from a nationally representative sample of indigenous villages in Brazilian indigenous reserves, the study sought to estimate the prevalence of pneumonia and evaluate associated factors among indigenous children under 5 years of age. Methods Sociodemographic, clinical and reported data on child respiratory health from the First National Survey of Indigenous People's Health and Nutrition in Brazil were collected for 6128 children. Prevalence of pneumonia was calculated for independent variables and hierarchical multivariate analyses were performed to assess associations. Results The overall prevalence proportions of cough, nasal congestion, pneumonia, and pneumonia with fever were 44.4%, 31.0%, 2.63%, and 1.28%, respectively. In the multivariate model, pneumonia was more frequent among children living in the South/Southeast and North regions of Brazil. Children living in larger households or houses with wood or thatch roofing, as well those with low birthweight or stunting, presented higher risk of pneumonia. Pneumonia was less prevalent among children living in houses with wood flooring and those presenting low weight-for-age. Conclusions The study results demonstrate that pneumonia is an important cause of illness among indigenous children throughout Brazil. The association between pneumonia and household characteristics suggests that indoor home environment is closely related to the respiratory health of indigenous children.