Living in Maré: A study on experimenting new health care approaches

Abstract

This article presents results obtained from a research with a group of women. The research instrument included a participative observation and interviews among women who live in Maré. The group was kept for two and half years. After its closure, some participants were interviewed. Such interviews were then analyzed using the methodology of Collective Speech. Results indicated that cohabiting in group, where there may be a feeling of protectiveness, causes a feeling of belonging, welfare and it is much easier to bring up new concepts of dealing with suffering. It was also noted that the group was an important instrument in dealing with diffuse suffering, meaning an uneasy state presented by means of unspecified complaints not classified either on clinical nosology or psychiatric. The results also demonstrated cohabiting in group as an important methodological tool for the comprehension of lifestyles and the needs of a specific community.