Representaciones de la enfermedadestudios psicosociales y antropológicos

Résumé

The following is a theoretical review of anthropological and psychosocial studies about the representation of the illness. Research regarding causes attributed to the illness, cognitive organization of the illness and the dimensions that define this organization are examined. Although the psychosocial studies follow the anthropological studies, there are both differences in methodology, and coincidental results. Beliefs about the illness form implicit theories and rotate around components of what would conform to the illness schemata: identity (its names and symptoms), consequences (physical, social, affective, economic), evolution (duration and course), causes and curability. Different studies suggest stability in time and in different cultures of this representational structure, although the content of beliefs is linked to sociocultural aspects. Further research reveals how different cultural values (such as collectivism vs. individualism, hierarchical distances, and cultural masculinity) have been associated with differences in processes of beliefs and outstanding social behaviors for the representation and reactions to illnesses (such as illusion of invulnerability, control perception, bias of self-protection, doctor-patient relationship, perception of illness and death-like causes of sadness). Finally, and trying to summarize by way of illustration, a research regarding the social representation of Chagas Disease, a rare disease, but frequently found in Venezuela is presented.