Perceptions on alcohol use in a Potiguar indigenous community,

Abstract This work analyzes the meanings attributed to alcohol consumption and the care strategies used by an indigenous group in Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil) by means ofa qualitative research involving residents and leaders. The results generated three analytical axes: determinants of alcohol consumption, health care settings, and alcohol use in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that the use of alcohol in the community has been marked by historical movements that have altered the modes of existence and limited access to traditionally occupied lands. Alcohol consumption appeared as a naturalized phenomenon, associated with social and health problems that are aggravated by the lack of public assistance perceived by the community.