Healthcare provided to Indigenous people from the Northeast Brazilian state of Maranhão by the Unified Health System in Teresina-PI in 2011: a descriptive study

to describe access to health services by Indians of Kanela and Guajajara ethnic groups and their satisfaction with care provided by the Unified Health System (SUS). a descriptive study of a non-probabilistic sample of Indigenous people living in Barra do Corda, State of Maranhão, receiving SUS healthcare in Teresina, State of Piauí, Brazil, in 2011; a questionnaire was administered on frequently used health services, forms of access and ease or difficultly in accessing them. 67 heads of family replied; 48 of them had used hospitals and 43 were satisfied with the services; among those admitted to hospital, 17 considered the meals offered there different to their customs or bad and 28 did not sleep as they traditionally did in their villages. access to SUS was facilitated by health professionals and the majority were satisfied with the care received.