Abstract

SOUSA, Islândia Maria Carvalho de  and  VIEIRA, Ana Luiza Stiebler. Public health care and alternative medicine. Ciênc. saúde coletiva [online]. 2005, vol.10, suppl., pp. 255-266. ISSN 1413-8123.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232005000500026.

This study of a case with a qualitative approach has the main objective the analysis of massage practice offered by the Alternative Medicine program at Rio de Janeiro County. It is limited by the programmatic area 3.1 (Leopoldina Area), where this program was implemented, and this practice has been utilized in four services of distinctive complexity. Trough the participant observation, of interviews, and the analysis of user’s records, we have verified the sort and knowledge used by this practice, the profiles of users and professionals, based in the oriental paradigm, has been captured by the biomedical rationality, nevertheless, the benefits related by users, are expressive; there is a expansion and demand diversification and the causes and orientation. We believe that this practice could be, in fact, an alternative to the care and an improvement at the SUS assistance.

Keywords : Alternative medicine; Massage; Public health.