This paper arises as a way of systematizing the reflections based on the "Intercultural tensions and the impacts on the health-disease process in the Guarani Mbyá from the city of Aracruz, State of Espírito Santo, approached by its authors, under a process for knowledge development within the Post-graduation on NUrsery at Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UniRio). The paper aims to stimulate a reflection about the contradictions arising from the health politics for indigenous populations in Brazil, whose guidelines do not contribute for the construction of new approaches that raise the value of diversity in the ethnical and cultural viewpoints. Its approach can be classified as descriptive with qualitative approach of a study case. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews conducted together with members of the Mbyá, Aracruz, Espírito Santo, and its analysis was based on the rules that subsidize indigenous healthcare actions. The conclusion is indigenous healthcare is influenced by local, regional and global political, economic and social interests, that, in many respects, overlap or neglect those aspects so necessary for the promotion and protection on the quality of life of the Mbyá groups living in Aracruz.
nursing; health-disease; indigenous health; health policies