Therapeutic itineraries of Qom mothers in a peri-urban community of Formosa.

Introduction: Indigenous peoples are undergoing profound Lifestyle changes that affect their health and the way they manage their diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the therapeutic itineraries followed by Qom mothers whenever they perceive their children are sick.
Population and Methods: The study was done in the Namqom peri-urban community, in the province of Formosa, with a group of mothers with young children interviewed at their houses until achieving saturation. The study followed an exploratory, qualitative design based on a conceptual health belief model.
Results: The therapeutic itineraries selected by 16 Qom mothers included using home remedies, biblical/faith healing, healers, and visiting the provincial health center. In general, the itinerary depends on how the mother characterizes disease symptoms: natural (biological cause) or unnatural (sorcery-related). The different methods are not necessarily incompatible and, many times, are used as complementary. Both reliability on effectiveness and fear of consequences play an important role on treatment selection. These results are extremely helpful to improve the dialog between the community and the health center. It is necessary to promote an improved coordination among the different health care agents working in transitioning indigenous communities.
Conclusions: The results of this study described selected therapeutic itineraries and, as a consequence, evidenced the strong presence of pluralistic medical systems in this community.
Competing Interests: None
(Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)