Redes sociais e comunitárias tecidas por mulheres de baixa renda inscritas em uma organização não governamental: a produção social da saúde

Abstract

Introduction: The life context of people and their daily relationships influences the healthdisease-care process of individuals. Thus, the health conditions of populations are directly related to the context in which they live, as well as the position of individuals in the social pyramid. Among the main social determinants of health, social and community networks stand out. They have the potential to influence the health level of a population, positively impacting the lives of these individuals. Objective: To understand how social and community networks influence the health production of low-income women in a non-governmental organization. Method: A qualitative descriptive and exploratory study of eleven women over the age of 18, living in a specific community and participating in a Non-Governmental Organization. The region has a traditional model Basic Health Unit. Result: The understanding of the social and community networks woven by the women of the research indicated that there is a strong connection with the community, whether due to their social structures, friendships and periodic spaces of coexistence and leisure. All this leads to the building of strong bonds between the residents producing the experience of living in a large family and therefore feeling safe to live there. As weakening aspects of the networks are the occasional gossip and drug-related parties that take place in the community. There is a strong experience of solidarity lived in local networks of mutual aid and protection. This network is enhanced by the institutions present in the neighborhood, especially by the NGO to which women belong. NGO projects encourage the strengthening of networks through qualified coexistence and the minimization of risk factors. We also have the custom of using herbal medicines stimulated by the women bless and women of references in plants. Conclusion: Women's social and community networks are clear social determinants of their health. They contribute in many ways to your health through material and emotional support for quality of life, prevention of morbidity, care promotion and emotional health.