The salutogenic model from the Mazahua worldview: A reflection for intercultural care

Background: This article addresses the theoretical and practical convergence between Antonovsky's salutogenic model and the Mazahua people's worldview of health. It proposes the need for intercultural dialogue that integrates the sociocultural and community resources of Indigenous peoples in order to promote individual and collective well-being from a contextualized and inclusive perspective. Development: Based on the WHO's holistic definition of health, the Mazahua approach to health - which conceives health as a dynamic balance among the individual, the community, nature, and spirituality - is contrasted with the salutogenic model, which complements this vision by focusing on general resistance resources and a sense of coherence as pathways to achieving health. This is particularly evident in Mazahua cultural assets, such as community networks, traditional practices, and spirituality - forms of ancestral knowledge that strengthen coping capacities and collective well-being. Conclusions: The articulation of both approaches enables the development of a biocultural, inclusive, and contextualized health model. From a biocultural perspective, a dialogue of knowledge is fostered that strengthens cultural identity, promotes autonomy, and contributes to reducing health disparities from an equitable and just perspective.