scholarly journals The use of traditional medicine by caregivers for children under the age of five years as health seeking behaviour

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Shanitha Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Traditional Medicine ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Sick Children

Child health has always been a global priority for decades; however, despite efforts to reduce the child mortality statistics, 5.9 million children under the age of five years have deceased in 2015. IMCI guidelines are used to assess, classify and treat sick children under the age of five years, however, despite the prevalent use of traditional medicine for this age group of children, the guidelines excludes the use of traditional medicine, hence the tendency exists to ignore such questions being asked. It is this gap in the history taking pertaining to sick children seeking health care at clinics that the researcher has identified, therefore, this study is intended to highlight the use of traditional medicine in children under the age of five years. The researcher’s methodology is a quantitative descriptive study by means of a self- developed structured questionnaire which was handed out to 183 caregivers attending a Gateway Clinic and 324 caregivers at Paediatric Out – Patient Department. The total sample size was 507 caregivers of children under the age of five years. Data was analysed using SPSS version 17. The data derived from this study indicated that although most caregivers would take their sick children to the clinic for first line treatment, there are a significant number who would rather use home remedies or seek care from traditional healers. The study reveals that 28.5% of caregivers were found to be administering traditional medicine with conventional medicine and 17.4% would do so concurrently. Evidence also revealed that 75.7% of the caregivers would disclose the use of traditional medicine for their children only if nurses enquired about it. Recommendations arising from the study findings are that the IMCI guidelines should incorporate a classification chart for use by health care professionals in order to identify children who were treated by traditional medicine preferably as “RED” - requiring urgent attention and possible admission to hospital, in view of the potential threat to life. Since the IMCI guidelines are also a teaching tool in nursing curricula, the assessment of sick children using traditional medicine will be incorporated into the formal teaching of nurses. Key words used were Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, effects and use of traditional medicine on children.

scholarly journals Measles outbreaks – potential threat for health care professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 100074
Author(s):  
A.C. Westgeest ◽  
D. de Mooij ◽  
C.Y. Eger ◽  
N.M. Delfos ◽  
M. van der Feltz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Measles Outbreaks

scholarly journals South Vietnamese Rural Mothers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Child Health Care

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinh Thac ◽  
Freddy Karup Pedersen ◽  
Tang Chi Thuong ◽  
Le Bich Lien ◽  
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Child Health Care ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
The Government ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

A study of 600 rural under-five mothers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) in child care was performed in 4 southern provinces of Vietnam. The mothers were randomly selected and interviewed about sociodemographic factors, health seeking behaviour, and practice of home care of children and neonates. 93.2% of the mothers were literate and well-educated, which has been shown to be important for child health care. 98.5% were married suggesting a stable family, which is also of importance for child health. Only 17.3% had more than 2 children in their family. The mother was the main caretaker in 77.7% of the families. Only 1% would use quacks as their first health contact, but 25.2% would use a private clinic, which therefore eases the burden on the government system. Nearly 69% had given birth in a hospital, 27% in a commune health station, and only 2.7% at home without qualified assistance. 89% were giving exclusive breast feeding at 6 months, much more frequent than in the cities. The majority of the mothers could follow IMCI guideline for home care, although 25.2% did not deal correctly with cough and 38.7% did not deal correctly with diarrhoea. Standard information about Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) based home care is still needed.

‘That is how the real mad people behave’: Beliefs about and treatment of mental disorders by traditional medicine-men in Accra, Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lily Kpobi ◽  
Leslie Swartz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Traditional Medicine ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Causal Beliefs ◽  
Treatment Methods ◽  
Medicine Men

Background: Traditional healing methods are considered central to mental health care in low-income countries such as Ghana, because they are perceived to be more easily accessible, more affordable and generally ascribe similar causal beliefs to those of the patients. However, not much is known about the work of traditional healers largely because their methods are shrouded in mysticism and secrecy. There is a need to understand the ideology and beliefs of traditional healers surrounding mental disorders, including knowledge about their practices in mental health care. Aims: In this article, we discuss the causal beliefs and treatment methods of traditional medicine-men from Accra, Ghana. We also describe their diagnostic and treatment methods for mental disorders. Methods: Eight medicine-men, indigenous to the Greater Accra Region, were interviewed through individual semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. Results: The medicine-men’s beliefs about mental illness were dominated by supernatural ideas. Mental illness was also seen as a form of punishment or resulting from envy, and there was a strong reliance on spiritual direction from the gods for diagnosis and treatment. Conclusion: These themes are discussed with emphasis on their potential implications for patients, as well as for collaborative efforts.

scholarly journals Relationship between Health Insurance Status and the Pattern of Traditional Medicine Utilisation in Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Razak Mohammed Gyasi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Traditional Medicine ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
National Health ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Insurance Status ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Health Insurance Status

This paper examines the relationship between national health insurance status and the pattern of traditional medicine (TRM) use among the general population in Ghana. A retrospective cross-sectional survey of randomly sampled adults, aged ≥18 years (N=324), was conducted. The results indicate that TRM use was high with prevalence of over 86%. The study found no statistically significant association between national health insurance status and TRM utilisation (P>0.05). Paradoxically, major sources of TRM, frequency of TRM use, comedical administration, and disclosure of TRM use to health care professionals differed significantly between the insured and uninsured subgroups (P<0.001). Whereas effectiveness of TRM predicted its use for both insured [odds ratio (OR) = 4.374 (confidence interval (CI): 1.753–10.913;P=0.002)] and uninsured [OR = 3.383 CI: 0.869–13.170;P=0.039)], work experience predicted TRM use for the insured [OR = 1.528 (95% CI: 1.309–1.900;P=0.019)]. Cultural specific variables and health philosophies rather than health insurance status may influence health care-seeking behaviour and TRM use. The enrollment of herbal-based therapies on the national health insurance medicine plan is exigent to ensure monitoring and rational use of TRM towards intercultural health care system in Ghana.

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitude and preventive practices regarding tuberculosis care and control among health care professionals at TB centres: implications for TB control efforts

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 2318
Author(s):  
K. M. Jaiswal ◽  
Lohit S. Vaishnao ◽  
Sujata Dudhgaonkar ◽  
Latesh Raghte ◽  
Mahek S. Kewalramani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Traditional Medicine ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
World Health ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Preventive Practices ◽  
Paramedical Staff ◽  
And Control

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) ranks as the leading cause of death from infectious disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) has considered TB a global public health disaster since 1993. Four factors affect non-adherence to treatment-the patient, healthcare systems, pharmaco-therapeutics and the key persons, health care professional (HCP). So, the study was conducted to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding TB care and control in HCPs working in TB units.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, questionnaire-based study conducted in all the HCPs working for the TB care and control.Results: The responses to the questions of knowledge were variable indicating incompleteness of information, facts, understanding related to TB in HCPs. HCPs show very strong positive attitude for finding every new case of TB is essential. The HCPs disagree to some statements like traditional or alternative medicine assists in wellbeing of TB patients. Practice competency was low with average score 2.32 out of 6, doctors having higher score of 4.62 followed by nurses, lab-technicians, pharmacist and activist with score of 2.57, 1.66, 1.5, 1.25 respectively.  The activist are the key persons in the national tuberculosis program, exhibited the least score in this study indicates they do not have much orientation about the practice of TB treatment. Specific deficiencies existed for some knowledge statements of HCWs on TB. There was disagreement in attitudes regarding stigma and traditional medicine, and practice competencies were poor. Improvement in aspect of KAP of HCPs on TB will help India achieve the goal of End TB.Conclusions: Specific deficiencies existed for some knowledge statements of TB in paramedical staff as compared to doctor participants. There was disagreement in attitudes regarding stigma and traditional medicine, and practice competencies were poor in activists. Improvement in knowledge, attitude and practices of TB in paramedical staff by conducting CME, Workshop, training sessions will help India to achieve the goal of End TB.

scholarly journals Interface between orthodox and traditional medicine and alternative paradigm for integrating orthodox and traditional health care in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 079-084
Author(s):  
Amole O.O.
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Traditional Medicine ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
African Region ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Traditional Health Care ◽  
Different Cultures

Traditional medicine refers to the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement of physical and mental illness. Herbal treatments are the most form of traditional medicine and 70 – 80% of the African region has used a form as primary health care. There is little doubt that the use of herbal medicines is growing and one of the most problems found in medicinal plants is the absence of clinical, toxicological and pharmacological studies. Many African countries depend on herbal medicines because of their efficacy, affordability and availability. The future of African traditional medicine is bright if view in the context of service provision, increase of health care coverage, economic potential and poverty reduction. Formal recognition and integration of traditional medicine into conventional medicine would be of good advantage.

scholarly journals Western and traditional medicine: Cultural beliefs and practices of South African Muslims with regard to Down Syndrome

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tasneem Dangor ◽  
Eleanor Ross
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
South African ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
The South ◽  
Beliefs And Practices

The aim of the study was to investigate the beliefs and practices of caregivers and traditional healers within the South African Muslim community regarding Down syndrome. An exploratory-descriptive research design was utilized which incorporated individual interviews with 10 caregivers of persons with Down syndrome as well as 10 traditional healers from the South African Muslim community. Common beliefs emanating from both groups relating to the cause of Down syndrome included the notion that this condition was genetic in origin and that such children were perceived to be gifts from God. Others attributed Down syndrome to a punishment from God or the result of curses from people. Treatment included the use of inscriptions from the Quraan, water that had been prayed over and herbal medicines. Some caregivers seemed reluctant to approach western health care professionals due to negative past experiences. The main reasons for consulting traditional healers were cultural beliefs and pressure from family members, their holistic approach and the personal nature of their interventions. Collaboration between allopathic medicine and traditional healing was advocated by almost all of the traditional healers. These findings underline the need for culturally sensitive rehabilitation practices in speech-language pathology and audiology; and collaboration between western health care practitioners and traditional healers.

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