Objective:

to understand the meaning that the Mapuche user subscribed to the Programa Salud Cardiovascular 2016, Makewe Clinic, Temuco, Chile assigns to arterial hyperten sion.

Methodology:

the research was performed under the qualitative paradigm, based on grounded theory. The non-probabilistic sample was made up of twenty-two users. The cases were chosen by convenience, following inclusion crite ria. The information was collected through focal groups and eight in-depth interviews, until saturation happened, and all participants were required to sign consent forms. Validity was ratified using standard criteria and researchers triangulated the data. The Ethics and Scientific Committee of Universidad de La Frontera authorized the study.

Results:

four categories for arterial hypertension appeared: “Meaning” (concept’s defini tion), “Cause” (perception), “Living with the condition” (chan ges) and “Treatment” (pharmacologic, herbal, Machi- healer or counselor-).

Conclusions:

without defining the patholo gy, the Mapuche associate the signs, symptoms and causes to it. They trust the treatment indicated by a medical team, but not the one prescribed by Machis. Although they recognize some of these Machis are good, their high demand or high cost makes them unattainable. In general, the Ley Indígena [Indi genous Peoples’ Act] 19253 of 1993 has been neglected, even if it allows the institutionalization of the Programa de Salud con Población Mapuche (Health Care Program for Mapuche people- promap in Spanish), a population that depends on the health care service provided by the Araucanía Region.

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