The perception of xerente indigenous about systemic arterial hypertension, in Tocantins

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to understand the perception of Xerente people about systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). Method: Field research with qualitative ethnography approach, with 29 hypertensive Xerente indigenous. Results: Based on data, it resulted in two categories: “High blood pressure by the perception of indigenous” and “The meaning of food for indigenous”. Conclusion: the emergence of SAH for Xerente people is recent and it is related to changes in lifestyle. Despite not knowing how to conceptualize the disease, indigenous related about symptoms and changes that they noticed in their body. It is necessary that health professionals act with sensibility and being open to listening and knowledge exchange, in order to attend indigenous people needs and respect their cultural values.