Abstract

EVIA BERTULLO, Victoria. The health-disease-care process from the perspective of the users of a primary care clinic in Montevideo, Uruguay: An analysis of therapeutic trajectories. Salud colect. [online]. 2015, vol.11, n.4, pp.537-552. ISSN 1851-8265.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18294/sc.2015.794.

The aim of this paper is to analyze, using an ethnographic approach, the health-disease-care experiences of the users of a multi-specialty clinic that forms part of the Metropolitan Primary Health Care Network of Uruguay's Public Health Services. The fieldwork was carried out in the northeast of Montevideo from July 2012 to November 2013, combining participant observation in social and care spaces and interviews with more than 20 users. In our analysis of care trajectories we found that people incorporate different practices and beliefs when facing their health problems. The use of biomedical health care services is predominant in Uruguay; nevertheless, people engage in self-care practices and in some cases, in the use of folk, religious/magical or alternative remedies. Medical pluralism is therefore observed in facing certain common ailments or significant experiences of disease.

Keywords : Primary Health Care; Delivery of Health Care; Anthropology, Medical; Uruguay.

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