Abstract
Objective: To describe the difficulties experienced by health professionals in caring for the indigenous population. Bibliographic Review: The difficulties encountered by health professionals are linked to transculturation through the overlapping of traditional Indian measurement and Western medicine, the distance from the village or town to hospital care centres becoming a geographical barrier, different dialects hinder the understanding of both the indigenous population and health professionals, thus affecting communication between them; working conditions not allowing the necessary assistance; beliefs and technical-scientific knowledge in the same place in the health-disease process; self-operating costs; difficulty in maintaining equipment and facilities; and air transport often necessary. Final Considerations: The indigenous population has a different form of organization as well as its health-disease process that cannot be compared with other peoples. In this sense, the health professional encounters various barriers to providing quality assistance, knowing the beliefs and customs of the indigenous population who will provide assistance, thus breaking down all barriers so that the promotion, protection and recovery of health can be achieved universally, equitably and integrally.