Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in the Unified Health System and the use of Medicines in the Rural Population of Municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This work is an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study, developed in six rural municipalities of the 13th Regional Health Coordination (CRS) of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Study conducted with 19 subjects. The objective was to investigate the use of integrative and complementary health practices (PICS) in the Unified Health System (SUS) as a contributory factor for changing the reality of medication use by users living in the rural area of municipalities in the 13th CRS / LOL. The rural population has important difficulties in accessing health services, with that, integrative therapies are very common and disseminated in rural areas. PICS have the ability to generate positive responses to drug treatments in the psychological or physiological realm, and can be used to reduce the use of medications or as an adjunct to treatments and disease prevention. The vast majority of therapies contribute to improving the quality of life of users, and may reduce the use of medicines, especially those for continuous use, however, they are not substitutes.