SOCIAL AND TERRITORIAL DETERMINANTS OF MALARIA IN INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the social and territorial dynamics of malaria among indigenous peoples. It is an exploratory Integrative Literature Review conducted in the SCIELO, LILACS, BVS, and Web of Science databases, using the descriptors “malaria” and “health of indigenous populations,” combined by the Boolean operator AND. Articles published between 2020 and 2025, available in full, were included, resulting in 15 studies after applying the eligibility criteria and organizing the findings according to the adapted PRISMA flowchart. The results showed a predominance of descriptive studies, highlighting indigenous people as a population at risk, with greater vulnerability among children and males, in addition to the significant occurrence of the disease associated with Plasmodium vivax. A strong association was observed between the incidence of malaria and territorial and socio-environmental factors, such as mining, deforestation, and difficulties in accessing health services. It was concluded that the dynamics of malaria in these territories must be understood based on the articulation between social, environmental, and territorial determinants, reinforcing the need to expand investigations and strengthen public policies directed at these populations.