Chagas disease and social welfare: characterization of the disease in the Brazilian social security and social assistance, 2004-2016

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the sociodemographic profile of beneficiaries of Brazilian social welfare affected by Chagas disease and identify factors associated with the granting of assistance benefits, 2004 to 2016. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on secondary data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Logistical regression was performed to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: 36,023 benefits were granted; 62.5% were to male; 67.0% to residents of urban areas; 46.7% to residents of Southeast region; 56.7% to people with chronic cardiac form; and 42.7% to the 50-59 age group. Residents of urban areas (OR = 134.9; 95%CI 78.0;233.2), Northeast macro-region (OR = 2.9; 95%CI 2.5;3.1), female (OR = 2.0; 95%CI 1.8;2.1) and age group 60 years or older (OR = 1.6; 95%CI 1,3;1,7) were factors associated with assistance benefits. CONCLUSION: Factors related to the area of residence, macro-region, sex and age group increased the chance of granting assistance benefits.