Challenges of anorexia nervosa in adolescence: ethnography in a public health service of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Through anthropological, ethnographic research, this paper seeks to reflect on the dynamics of the daily functioning of a public health service specialized in the treatment of eating disorders, as well as on the process of illness experienced by adolescents who publicly face anorexia nervosa. The Eating Disorders Program observed in Rio de Janeiro provides both outpatient care and hospitalization. Fieldwork provided the knowledge about care provided to adolescents and their families, as well as the difficulties experienced by the multi-professional team. The closer coexistence of the researcher and health services facilitated the identification of the many challenges that permeate the health professional-user relationship, professional lack of motivation in the face of the complex disease, lack of qualification to treat adolescents, and other obstacles. We seek to stress the importance of this theme for the Brazilian Public Health, with the development of guidelines to orient health services, as well as public health policies that promote the establishment of programs, actions and activities aimed to give visibility and ensure rights for people with eating disorders in the country.