Terapias preventivas populares entre sectores medios y urbano marginales de México

Abstract

Using data from the 1994 National Health Survey a qualitative study on the sociocultural determinants that affect the utilization of health services by low and middle income sectors was carried out. The cities of Aguascalientes, Morelia, Chihuahua, Saltillo, Merida, Veracruz, Chilpancingo and Pachuca were included in the research. One hundred and ninety two interviews were given to the population using the services and eight focal groups were organized in four cities with the same population. Sixty one interviews were carried out with Health Ministry and Social Security personned as well as with those of the private health sector. In this paper the preventive behavior of the interviewed population is analyzed. A differentiation between being ill and feeling sick is made since it relates to two diverse preventive practices: Diffused preventive therapy and occidental preventive therapy