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Abstract
The use of medicinal plants represents an ancestral practice of considerable relevance among Amazonian indigenous communities, where it serves as a central strategy for managing gastrointestinal diseases in contexts with limited access to formal healthcare services. This study aimed to analyze the association between the use of medicinal plants and the management of gastrointestinal diseases within the Shuar culture of the Santa María de Tunants community, located in the Sinaí parish of Morona canton, Morona Santiago province. A quantitative, non-experimental, and cross-sectional design was employed, with a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 81 participants. The research instrument, validated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.87), applied a five-category Likert scale. Statistical analysis included Spearman's correlation and multiple linear regression. Results revealed a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between the variables (ρ = 0.831; p < 0.001), with a model explaining 76.0% of the variance in gastrointestinal disease management (R² = 0.760), identifying plant type, preparation method, and species origin as the most significant predictors. It is concluded that traditional Shuar medicine represents a potential complement to formal healthcare systems in intercultural contexts.
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