THE “PRESSURE GROUP”: NOTES ON THE LOGIC OF “CONTROL” OF LONG-TERM ILLNESSES IN GUARIROBA, CEILÂNDIA/DF

Abstract

Brazilian Anthropology has only slowly given priority to the theme of chronic and degenerative illnesses. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus, type I and II, for example, with a massive epidemiological impact on the Brazilian population, are analytically tackled by health studies, but only in the last years have they captured the Social Sciences' attention. The health areas, meanwhile, cannot offer definite cure for theses illnesses, and have elaborated “control” prac­tices as forms of treatment. This article intends to focus on these control practices, especially those elaborated by people that live with these illnesses. First, I present the methodological steps. Then, I discuss three sets of prac­tices put to work by Guariroba (Federal District) dwellers interviewed in the research. Measure the body indicators and acknowledge one’s own “normality”; have many measuring equipment at hand; discuss the numbers with a large and diverse audience; reinvent the medicine posology; and get to know the influence of emotions on these two illnesses are practices that seem to have a strong control intention to these interviewees. Finally, I announce interpreta­tions that temporarily serve to help advance the studies on chronicity in the Brazilian Anthropology. Key words: Chronic illness, control practices, Guariroba (Federal District).