As práticas populares de saúde no itinerário terapêutico da população ribeirinha

Abstract

The riverine population of the Amazon has a way of life intrinsically connected to the waters, the land, and the forests, living along riverbanks and sustaining themselves primarily through fishing, plant extractivism, and agriculture. Within their cultural and social contexts, these traditional communities develop their own systems of organization, including in health, through popular practices. Such practices encompass a set of knowledge and techniques used to prevent, diagnose, and treat illnesses, incorporating psychosocial aspects such as spirituality and community well-being. This study analyzes how popular health practices are present in the therapeutic itinerary of the riverine population of the Capanãzinho District, in the state of Amazonas. It is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, grounded in plural theoretical contributions from anthropology, social psychology, and public health. Participants included one midwife, one healer, and a group of ten residents aged 24 to 70. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, participant observation with field notes, and a discussion group, and the material was examined using Thematic Analysis as proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006).Three central themes emerged: conceptions of health and illness; experiences of popular specialists; and therapeutic itineraries. The results show that health is produced within—and together with—the territory, articulating spiritual and community dimensions. The practices of the midwife and healer reveal forms of comprehensive care grounded in networks of solidarity, spirituality, and the use of medicinal plants, despite being marked by institutional invisibility and undervaluation. The study identified that, when facing health issues, riverine residents prioritize family-based care while engaging in an ecological navigation among the plurality of therapeutic options available in the community. This research contributes to understanding the diverse Therapeutic Itineraries of Amazonian riverine populations from an anthropological and psychosocial perspective, reinforcing the importance of recognizing and integrating popular knowledge into psychological practices and discussions within rural contexts.