Itinerary for patients with Acute Chagas Disease: From illness to coping in an Amazonian municipality

Objective: This study aims to understand the path from illness to coping with Acute Chagas Disease (ACD) by those who experience it. Method: Qualitative, descriptive study carried out in the city of Abaetetuba, Pará, Brazil. Twenty patients with Acute Chagas Disease followed at a health clinic in 2018 participated in the study. Home visits were made to collect information through a semi-structured interview script with open and closed questions. For data analysis, thematic content analysis was used. The research complied with Resolution No. 466/12 of the Brazil National Health Council. Results: Most participants are aged between 20 and 39 years (40%), 50% are female, 60% had no personal income, 50% declared themselves to be Catholics, 65% reported being under current treatment for ACD and 5% had complications. When analyzing the interviewees' statements, three categories and their approaches emerged: 1) The meaning of having and living with ACD (The knowledge of patients about the disease; the impact of the disease on the patient and religiosity as a form of hope); 2) The carrier's relationship with their social groups (The positive aspects; the negative aspects and the repercussions of the illness on the family); 3) The influence of food culture related to patients with ACD (Our açaí, daily health).Conclusion: It is concluded that this research not only demonstrates that ACD has a great biopsychosociocultural thickness, due to its significance for those who experience it, but also is fraught with stigmas for being inserted in a cultural environment of eating habits based on the consumption of açaí pulp.