[The perception of illness in people with chronic complications caused by diabetes mellitus]

The representations and practices of people who suffer chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus were described and analyzed. The information was analyzed with the constructivist grounded theory, the theories of social representations and experience of the disease, explanatory models of illness, and medical pluralism. The hypothesis of this research was to highlight the presence of diverse representations and practices in people with diabetes mellitus that help to signify the experience of the disease according to their sociocultural context.

To study the experience shared by people suffering from diabetes mellitus and its chronic complications.

An observational, retrospective, synchronous and qualitative study was carried out with a sample of five patients. The selection criteria were: having chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus and living in the town of Coatetelco. Likewise, six physicians were included under the following selection criteria: attending to patients at Coatetelco. Eleven interviews were conducted.

The interviews demonstrated that the explanatory models of the disease include biomedical, traditional medicine and self-care elements, and are built from collective experience. Culture adopts and resignifies knowledge from different forms of health care. Narratives are a useful tool for the analysis of the perspective and meaning of subjectivities.

The knowledge of individuals affected with chronic complications from diabetes is made up of elements resignified from biomedical care, traditional medicine and self-care.