Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Afro-Descendant Communities in a Situation of Vulnerability in Northern Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Quilombos are Brazilian communities developed by survivor groups following fight against slavery. They are found in the whole of the Brazilian territory, far from urban centers, living in vulnerable and poor socioeconomic situations and continuously suffering from influence of occidentalization. Based on the hypothesis that the way Quilombolas live may be associated with metabolic syndrome (MS), the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MS and to analyze the associated factors in adult residents of Quilombola communities in the northern region of Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted according to the guidelines of the STROBE Statement in five communities of Tocantins. Results: The study investigated 193 individuals who lived for at least 1 year in the communities. The prevalence of MS in this population was 32.12%. There was a higher prevalence of MS or metabolic disorders in women, as well as metabolic profiles related to low high-density lipoprotein and obesity among participants with MS. Conclusion: The prevalence of MS is higher compared with other Quilombola and African communities, indicating an opportunity to improve or develop new programs to reduce MS and metabolic disorders, by making changes in some habits, such as physical activities, because there were differences in metabolic disorders related to the presence of MS.

Significados que construyen mujeres afrodescendientes frente al cáncer de mama y cuello uterino, atendidas en Medellín, Colombia / Meanings that build Afro-descendant women facing breast and cervical cancer, who were attended in Medellin, Colombia

Resumen Introducción: La investigación sobre la salud de mujeres afrodescendientes es escasa en Colombia, especialmente cuando se trata de estudios que muestren relación entre etnia y cáncer. El cáncer de mama (CaMa) y cuello uterino (CaCu) requieren ser investigados desde la voz de las mujeres afrodescendientes que lo padecen. Objetivo: Comprender los significados frente al CaMa o CaCu que construyen mujeres afrodescendientes atendidas en los servicios de salud de Medellín, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Investigación cualitativa con enfoque etnográfico. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a mujeres con CaMa y CaCu y grupos focales con población afrodescendiente sin cáncer; observaciones en citas médicas, quimioterapia y lugares cotidianos. El análisis fue guiado por el método de comparación constante. Resultados: Emergieron tres categorías: "El señor cáncer" que da cuenta de la enfermedad concebida como fatal y peligrosa, "La enfermedad desplaza", producto de la migración de las mujeres a Medellín para recibir tratamientos; y "Parte la vida en dos" por los cambios que conlleva la enfermedad. Conclusión: La enfermedad se concibió más allá de lo biológico al experimentar una alteración de la vida social, familiar y emocional. Se requiere mayor visibilidad del proceso salud-enfermedad de las afrodescendientes, por su rol ancestral como cuidadoras y forjadoras de unidad familiar.

Abstract Introduction: Research on the health of Afro-descendant women is scarce in Colombia, especially when it comes to studies that show the relationship between ethnicity and cancer. Breast cancer and cervix need to be investigated from the voice of Afro-descendant women who suffer from it. Objective: To understand the meanings facing breast or cervix cancer that are built by Afro-descendant women in the health services of Medellin, Colombia. Materials and methods: A qualitative research with an ethnographic approach was made. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for women with breast and cervix cancer and there were focal groups with Afro-descendant population without cancer with observations in medical appointments, chemotherapy and everyday places. The analysis was guided by the Constant Comparative method. Results: Three categories emerged: "Lord Cancer" which accounts for the disease conceived as fatal and dangerous, "the disease displaces", product of the migration of women to Medellin to receive treatments; and "it parts life in two" because of the changes that the disease brings. Conclusion: The disease was conceived beyond the biological part by experiencing an alteration of social, familiar and emotional life. There is a need for greater visibility of the health-disease process of the afro-descendants, or their ancestral role as caregivers and family unit builders.

Sujeitos rasurados: uma análise da construção da identidade afrodescendente a partir dos espaços educativos no território do Rio Grande do Sul / Falied subjects: analysis of the construction of the afro-descendent identity starting from educational spaces in the territoty of Rio Grande do Sul

Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar o processo de construção das narrativas identitárias étnicas, sobretudo dos afrodescendentes, no ambiente escolar da região Sul do Brasil, enfatizando, a partir de um estudo de caso, o Vale do Rio Pardo, nomeadamente na região do município de Santa Cruz do Sul, município caracterizado pelo discurso imigrantista teuto. A partir do levantamento de dados obtidos junto ao INEP, IBGE e NUPES, realiza-se uma análise da distribuição étnica da população escolar do Estado e focaliza as regiões de colonização alemã no intuito de caracterizar os processos de visibilidade/invisibilidade das populações afrodescendentes bem como os processos de exclusão legitimados pela imobilidade social oriunda da espacialidade das escolas de periferia, onde se encontram a maioria absoluta dos afrodescendentes. A pesquisa demonstra que os processos de exclusão, que não se resumem à etnicidade, estão relacionados à territorialidade urbana e à localização das escolas, legitimando a imobilidade social e os processos de estigmatização, no caso, de cunho étnico. As escolas não apenas constituem dispositivos identitários, como subjetivam os sujeitos sociais construindo identidades e estereotipias étnicas que rasuram os sujeitos afrodescendentes, impedindo relações interculturais mais amplas, trocas e processos de alteridades que possibilitam a afirmação dos laços de pertencimento comunitário no município em questão, promovendo a invisibilidade e a exclusão identitária.(AU)

This article has as objective to analyze the building process of ethnics identitary narratives, overall of Afro-descendents, in the scholar environment of the South Region of Brazil, emphasizing, starting from a case study, Vale do Rio Pardo, nominally in the region of Santa Cruz do Sul municipality which is characterized by the German immigrant speech. Starting from the data search obtained by INEP, IBGE and NUPES, it is accomplished an analysis of the ethnic distribution of the state scholar population focusing the regions of German colonizations with the aim to characterize the visibility/invisibility processes of the Afro-descendent populations as well as the processes of exclusion legitimated by social immobility originated from the surrounding schools environment, where the absolute majority of the Afro-descendents are found. The research demonstrates that the processes of exclusion, which do not reduce themselves to the ethnicity, are related to the urban territoriality and to the localization of the schools, legitimating the social immobility and the processes of stigmatization, in case, of ethnic standard. The schools not just constitute identitary dispositives, as subjective the social subjects building identities and ethnic stereotipies that maculate the Afro-descendents subjects, blocking wider intercultural relationships, exchanges and processes of alterities that make possible the affirmation of the links of communitary belonging in the municipality in study, promoting the invisibility and the identitary exclusion.(AU)

Sujeitos rasurados: uma análise da construção da identidade afrodescendente a partir dos espaços educativos no território do Rio Grande do Sul / Falied subjects: analysis of the construction of the afro-descendent identity starting from educational spaces in the territoty of Rio Grande do Sul

Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar o processo de construção das narrativas identitárias étnicas, sobretudo dos afrodescendentes, no ambiente escolar da região Sul do Brasil, enfatizando, a partir de um estudo de caso, o Vale do Rio Pardo, nomeadamente na região do município de Santa Cruz do Sul, município caracterizado pelo discurso imigrantista teuto. A partir do levantamento de dados obtidos junto ao INEP, IBGE e NUPES, realiza-se uma análise da distribuição étnica da população escolar do Estado e focaliza as regiões de colonização alemã no intuito de caracterizar os processos de visibilidade/invisibilidade das populações afrodescendentes bem como os processos de exclusão legitimados pela imobilidade social oriunda da espacialidade das escolas de periferia, onde se encontram a maioria absoluta dos afrodescendentes. A pesquisa demonstra que os processos de exclusão, que não se resumem à etnicidade, estão relacionados à territorialidade urbana e à localização das escolas, legitimando a imobilidade social e os processos de estigmatização, no caso, de cunho étnico. As escolas não apenas constituem dispositivos identitários, como subjetivam os sujeitos sociais construindo identidades e estereotipias étnicas que rasuram os sujeitos afrodescendentes, impedindo relações interculturais mais amplas, trocas e processos de alteridades que possibilitam a afirmação dos laços de pertencimento comunitário no município em questão, promovendo a invisibilidade e a exclusão identitária.

This article has as objective to analyze the building process of ethnics identitary narratives, overall of Afro-descendents, in the scholar environment of the South Region of Brazil, emphasizing, starting from a case study, Vale do Rio Pardo, nominally in the region of Santa Cruz do Sul municipality which is characterized by the German immigrant speech. Starting from the data search obtained by INEP, IBGE and NUPES, it is accomplished an analysis of the ethnic distribution of the state scholar population focusing the regions of German colonizations with the aim to characterize the visibility/invisibility processes of the Afro-descendent populations as well as the processes of exclusion legitimated by social immobility originated from the surrounding schools environment, where the absolute majority of the Afro-descendents are found. The research demonstrates that the processes of exclusion, which do not reduce themselves to the ethnicity, are related to the urban territoriality and to the localization of the schools, legitimating the social immobility and the processes of stigmatization, in case, of ethnic standard. The schools not just constitute identitary dispositives, as subjective the social subjects building identities and ethnic stereotipies that maculate the Afro-descendents subjects, blocking wider intercultural relationships, exchanges and processes of alterities that make possible the affirmation of the links of communitary belonging in the municipality in study, promoting the invisibility and the identitary exclusion.