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Science, Technology and Society Research Group Seminar Carlos Laranjeira January 27th, 2010, 17:00, CES Seminar Room, 2nd Floor, Coimbra The purpose of this research was to apprehend what is the effect of culture, based on medical anthropology, in what concerns to the acquisition of preventive strategies to combat cancer, undertaken by women enrolled in the cervical cancer prevention programme. The participants were selected for this study from the Register of cytological examination of cervicovaginal swabs, carried out during January 2008 to December 2008, in a Primary Health Care Unit of the Portuguese Centro Region. The selection was also based on the age limits proposed by the national cancer plan, regarding the cancer screening exam, that is, [30-60] years. The data were collected by semi-structured interviews and observation. While analysing the results, four tests of significance were dissected: 1. The stigma and the genesis of cancer; 2. the essentiality of prevention, the forms and the factors that motivate and discourage this practice; 3. the impact of the attitudes of health professionals in prevention behaviours; 4. what actually prevents cancer. We see an approximation of lay knowledge with knowledge of the biomedical model. The user's speech facing the professional shows an apparent agreement, but the technical and scientific knowledge has a secondary role, in spite of its persuasive force, if the singularities of the subjects are ignored. It is necessary to manage this interpersonal space, giving it the flexibility and feedback that the media doesn’t allow. Thus, the social network of the individual regarding cancer may be identified and explained by lay knowledge, which incorporates the experience and perception of the individual in face of cancer and the respective prevention behaviours. Education Academic and Professional Activities Research projects at CES |