Abstract

NOGUEIRA, Dassuem  and  GARNELO, Luiza. Living with Malaria: Health, Illness and Self-attention in a Rural Community in the Brazilian Amazon.Translated byJuana Valentina Nieto Moreno. Desacatos [online]. 2018, n.58, pp.66-83. ISSN 2448-5144.

The article analyzes the system of self-attention for malaria in a rural town in the Brazilian Amazon. Exploits the assignment of meanings to this disease, its causes, symptomatology, treatment, prevention and consequences for health and capacity for work. The characteristics of the self-attention system include differentiated strategies to deal with internal malaria, state of liminality in which a person is classified as a carrier of malaria, but the symptoms are still not evident and the social role of the sick person is not established. From the socially defined cases such as malaria and internal malaria, the management of intra-community power relations is also established, which seeks to guarantee resources originating from health policies and social assistance.

Keywords : self-attention; primary health care; rural health; malaria; anthropology of health.