Cultural characterization of adherence to diet amogn patients with diabetes mellitus who attend the Conocoto health center - type c unit, in the period from March to July 2019

Abstract

Considering the complexity of health-disease process and hence the relationship between human being, environment and society, it was investigated the reasons by which diabetic patients, who go to a primary care unit consultation, do not comply the prescribed diet by doctors in the frame of social representations which have concerning the disease they suffer and family care. This qualitative research with a duration of six months use deep interview as principal tool. In the first part, it was identified the location and demographic data of Mellitus diabetes patients and health personnel who attend the Conocoto health center. The sample was saturated above the thirtieth interview. In the second part, it is described the narrative of Clinical history. In the third part, it was described the narrative of cultural characterization of care, monitoring and control of Mellitus diabetes. Once the information was collected, through discourse analysis, core ideas were obtained in the mode of predication, action or state, and high, low or distorted referentiality degree. Then, the results demonstrate the same core idea in relation to the diet as the cause of diabetes (poor diet, heredity, stress, suffering, it is emotional). In the ideology, the messages reveal significant uniacentuality, appeal of decisive experiences and polarized vision of reality. In addition, the reason of non-adherence is based on the culinary customs ingrained from child- hood, lack of family support, and low incomes. These data are contrary to doctors’ thought who point out that patients do not know their disease and its associated complications.