Hypertension as a condition of non-disease: the meaning of chronicity in the subjects' perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the concepts underlying the health-disease-care process of subjects with systemic arterial hypertension, as well as the meaning of this disease in their lives. It consists of a qualitative descriptive study. Study participants were nine subjects with arterial hypertension, in follow-up with a family health team. The study utilized semi-structured interviews, observation and documentary analysis for data collection. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. There was a unanimous feeling among the participants that hypertension, despite being a chronic illness, does not represent a disease condition. This is attributed to the fact that this illness does not present physical symptoms, added to the ability to stabilize pressure levels with the correct use of medication. This position was also associated with the long period of time in which they experience this chronic condition. For these reasons, these subjects define themselves as healthy people. Therefore, it is verified that these subjects have learned how to live "with" hypertension rather than "despite" it.