Women’s health experiences: reflections from a community radio program

Abstract

This research aimed to identify aspects of women’s relationship with themselves, with the health-disease process and with the Integrative Healthcare Service (SIS), healthcare unit of the Unified Health System (SUS) that works with Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (PICS). The study was based on women’s interviews collected and broadcasted by a local Community Radio during the show called ‘Women of SIS’. The content analysis of the material indicates particularities in the way women present themselves and talk about their experiences in the health field. They present themselves by name and working condition, not using other social markers to talk about themselves. Women recognize the PICS as important care practices that offer attention to singularities and to the collective. The act of speaking/listening about women’s experiences, made possible by the radio show, contributes to legitimize their existences, existences that are historically silenced.