[Andean women: Attitudes towards the use of plants for the treatment of gynecological eventsMulheres andinas: atitudes em relajo ao uso de plantas para o tratamento de eventos ginecológicos].

Abstract

Introduction: Diseases often represent physiological changes that require immediate action depending on the severity. Faced with these changes, Andean women put into practice their ancestral knowledge and attitudes to find a solution, as they are the most immediate means at their disposal.

Objective: To interpret the attitudes of Andean women in the province of Hualgayoc, Peru, towards using plants for treating some gynecological events.

Materials and methods: A qualitative, exploratory, hermeneutic phenomenological design study was conducted with 16 Andean women through a semi-structured interview based on an interview guide with optimal content validity. The results emerged from open, axial, and selective coding and were organized into subcategories and categories.

Results: The categories obtained were favorable attitudes towards using plants and gynecological situations for using plants. The subcategories include satisfaction with the results achieved, safety to continue using plants, aptitude to advise on the use of plants, knowledge of plant's therapeutic effects, events for using plants, and methods of preparing them.

Discussion: Several international studies converge on similar attitudes, manifested in greater trust in traditional medicine, favorable acceptance behavior, belief in its effects, a mental projection of getting well, and willingness to continue its use.

Conclusion: The women were satisfied with the results obtained from the use of medicinal plants because they were beneficial, indigenous to their region, and did not involve any expense. The frequent use of plants was to alleviate pain during menstruation, vaginal infections, and labor.