Abstract
Objective: To comparatively evaluate the meaning of the concept of health from the perspective of individuals with chronic diseases and healthy individuals living in Roraima. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical research, with a qualitative and quantitative character, involving 50 individuals with chronic diseases and 50 healthy individuals. Data were collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire and an open interview. Results: The sample consists of 37 men and 63 women. The predominant age group was 18-35 years (39%), with incomplete primary education (29%), family income of up to 1 minimum wage (55%), with religion (94%) and exclusive users of the Unified Health System (91%). When assigning a meaning to health, the most frequent word categories for the two groups of participants were well-being, quality of life and absence of disease. Conclusion: Although the study involved two distinct groups in relation to the health-disease process, there was no distinction as to the meaning of health among the participants.