Sentidos atribuídos à prática dos cuidados em saúde de mulheres quilombolas rurais

Abstract

Among the traditional peoples are the quilombola populations and communities. Some of these communities do not have access to collective goods, which leads to living conditions with low levels of quality and human development. Culture influences the maintenance of the well-being of this group, as well as the understanding of the health-disease process, disabilities or death, and exerts a strong influence on care choices. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the meanings attributed to health and the paths taken in the search for care by quilombola women in territories located in the North Health Macro region, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a qualitative research, the first product being based on the Cartography method proposed by Passos, Kastrup and Escossia in the book “Clues of the Cartography Method”. The second product had Arthur Kleinman's Health Care System model as theoretical support, to go through the Therapeutic Itineraries of quilombola women in search of health care. Data were produced in 23 communities, through individual interviews, observations, photographic records and field diaries. The Discourse Analysis made it possible to go through the 8 cartography clues present in the book and the elaboration of a figure of the rhizome of female care practices. In the second product, the therapeutic itineraries allowed the construction of 3 categories: The meaning of health and illness; The professional care system in quilombola communities; Itinerary of care in spaces traveled by quilombola women. Living and caring have their essence based on the lifestyle of their ancestors and on the conquered right to freely care for themselves, to be able to fight for access to health conditions. The value attributed to health care was related to domestic and extra-domestic tasks, attributing an intrinsic relationship between health and work. Care is inherent to the female gender, including eating, caring for children, planting crops, and seeking health services. It is concluded that there are weaknesses in relation to care and health for these women. This is due to some factors, such as the difficulty in accessing services, which reveals a therapeutic itinerary more related to popular medicine actions present in the quilombola communities themselves.