Demographic profile of the Hupd’äh, a Maku people living the Upper Rio Negro Region, State of Amazonas, Brazil (2000-2003)

Abstract

The Hupd’äh are a people of the Maku language who live in the Upper Rio Negro Region in Amazonas, Brazil. Indigenous leaders, anthropologists, missionaries and health professionals all say that this population lives under very precarious conditions of health, with high overall and child mortality rates. On the basis of data derived from the Special Indigenous District of Rio Negro (DSEI-RN, of Funasa/MS), for the period of 2000-2003, a descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the demographic and general profiles of the group The study also had the objective of contributing to the implementation of public policies for them, and for debates in the areas of anthropology, demography and indigenous health. The population of 1,487 individuals in 2003 grew 8.4% per year during the period studied. Composition by age and sex indicates a concentration of young people (44.9% under the age of 15), and a greater percentage of males. The average gross fertility rate (TBN) for the period was 33.4 births per 1000 inhabitants, and total fertility (TFT) was 3.4 children per woman. Mortality rate (TBM) was 10 deaths per 1000 inhabitants and child mortality rate (TMI) was high, 116.3 deaths per 1000 births. More refined processes of collecting information, the high vegetative growth and the intense spatial mobility of the Hupd’äh may explain the high growth rate seen between 2000 and 2003.