Viewing disease as a phenomenon experienced not only by the individual but also within the realm of society, the text is a theoretical reflection on the therapeutic methods ordinarily employed in household practice, which encompass a wide gamut of resources for responding to sickness. The factors affecting the search for treatment resources are discussed, including: individual rational choice, family structure as a provider of basic health resources, networks of social relations as a source of support and information on health care (considering initiatives as social rather than individual constructs), and the influence of the local and macro cultures, which provide social groups with references for interpreting their experiences and guiding their actions.
culture; family; popular medicine