Lógicas que estruturam o acesso e consumo de medicamentos farmacêuticos em pontos seleccionados na Cidade da Matola

Abstract

This research analyzes logics that structure the access and consumption of medicines between two pharmacies in Matola, in Maputo Province. Access and consumption of medicines have been discussed separately. So, on the one hand, what about the debate on access to medicines a first perspective argues that access should be seen from a geographical, economic and functional point of view and a second argues that access should be seen from a cultural point of view, taking into account habits and customs of a population in a given context. As for the debate on medication consumption, a first perspective argues that the consumption of medicines is conditioned by a medical prescription and the second argues that the consumption of medicines results from patterns socio-cultural. These approaches allow us to understand contexts in which access is determined by physical space and consumption by a medical prescription. From the ethnographic material collected from a group of users of Matola, that access and consumption of medicines by the study participants is done in accordance with the knowledge and information obtained from social networks that function as networks of sharing information on health, treatment and healing. These results reinforce the idea according to which access to and consumption of medicines is guided by contextual customs and that people do not always access or consume medicines according to the medical prescriptions received at health facilities. (TRADUÇÃO NOSSA)