RESUMO
This is a multimethodology study founded on the Social Representations Theory, with the objective of aprehending the representations that the color issue has for the users and professionals of public health care services. The study was performed at Public Basic Health Units in Salvador, with 103 subjects. Data collection was performed using the Free Word-Association Test and semi-structured interviews. Factorial Correspondence Analysis and thematic analysis was used. Results showed an opposition of answers among people who classified themselves as white and black, and an opposition between the younger and older people. Representations about the color issue portray the complexity involved in racial classification and the need to implement studies on health policies and Brazilian races.