Social Representations of Health and Illness in Criminal Offenders Families and Their Relationship with Healthcare Services

Abstract

This work had the objective to know the social representation that the families of adolescent criminal offenders have on health and illness, and to analyze the social support received from the effectors who provide assistance to the demands of these groups. the offenders families receive multiple assistance benefits from the health system, although the over-provision does not seem to have favorable effects promoting family health, in view of its persistent dysfunction and multisymptomatic problems. Method: the framework of the study was a qualitative exploration, using the hierarchical evocations test and focus groups as instruments of inquiry. the unit of analysis was oriented to the mothers of the juvenile criminal offenders who participated in the strengthening program of Mendoza‘s Juvenile Criminal Court. Results: it was possible to observe the protective Behaviors as the social representation of health, and the Coping ability, as the social representation of illness. these representational nuclei distance themselves from the role assigned to care effectors who are valued for the treatment of individual, acute symptoms, within the hospital care assistance environment far from health promotion.