Abstract
This research discusses the chronic illness process in young people in the context of social exchanges based on the gift theory. The objective is to analyze the meanings of being a young person with chronic kidney disease in the universe of social exchanges of care goods. The research, which is of a qualitative nature, was carried out in one health care unit spe cialized in dealing with young people with chronic kidney disease in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Eleven young people - aged between 12 and 20 years - and 4 health care professionals, involved in the care of this group, participated in this study. The refe rential methodological and theoretic system was guided by Schütz's Comprehensive Sociology that allows the exploration of the social relationship based on the experience of the subject. The results reveal the importance of the symbolic exchange between the young person and the health care ser vice in the constitution and full experience of being young, as well as the relevance of the young person's perspective in the construction of the care system and the health care providers' practice. With this study, the importance of enlarging young persons' role was obvious and, stimulated by the health care, we tried to recognize this group as a potential agent of its own health, as well as of other subjects that are also included in the context of a chronic disease.
Keywords:
Juvenile Protagonism; Kidney Chronic Disease; Gift Theory