Abstract

SUAREZ-RIENDA, Verónica  and  LEMUS ALCANTARA, Sergio. Palliative care for degenerative neurological diseases. A socio-anthropological perspective. Cuicuilco. Rev. cienc. antropol. [online]. 2021, vol.28, n.81, pp.289-312.  Epub Apr 04, 2022. ISSN 2448-8488.

Currently, Mexican population presents an exponential growth of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes or degenerative neurological diseases (for example, Alzheimer or progres sive dementia). As a consequence, and under the political framework of the reform of the General Health Law in 2009, palliative care began to be present in the clinical context of the Mexican health system. After ten years of being contemplated in Mexican regulations, this study aims to analyze, from Goffman’s theoretical-conceptual framework and narratives as an analysis tool, the elements of conflict and consensus produced from palliative care to people affected by a degenerative neurological disease. To this end, a brief interpretive analysis of the narratives around the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and degenerative dementia is presented, in the context of palliative care at a Mental and Neurological Health Care Center in Mexico City.

Keywords : Palliative care; degenerative neurological diseases; socio-anthropology; frame analysis; narratives.