The Aranas in mid-Jequitinhonha: socioeconomic, demographic and sanitary aspects of a landless indigenous population

The lack of epidemiological and environmental data on Brazilian indigenous populations is a challenge for the elaboration of public policy. This lack of data is more acute for "landless" indigenous groups. From this perspective, it was considered relevant to describe the Arana, a landless indigenous group living in Minas Gerais, focusing on the demographic, socioeconomic and sanitary dimensions. A household survey was conducted. The data collected were analyzed and compared with those from other national ethnic groups. The results revealed similarities between these findings and those from the 2010 Census related to the native indigenous population, especially those not living on indigenous lands or reservations. Asymmetric results were identified within the households, mainly sanitary disparities, which suggested a relation with the location. This result indicates the need for priority intervention for the Arana living in rural areas, bringing to light the age-old discussion about rural and urban disparities. In addition, we suggest that the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), responsible for the 2010 census, should refine its assessment methods concerning landless indigenous groups.