Meeting a Traditional Healer in Malawi

Der vorliegende Artikel ist ein ethnografischen Bericht einer Heilpraxis im südlichen Malawi von einer Forschungsgruppe von SFU StudentInnen im Juli 2013. Neben der Beschreibung der Heilpraxis von Dorothy Anderson werden Mechanismen der Psychologie in den einzelnen Erzählungen der TeilnehmerInnen transparent und im Abschluss diskutiert.The present article gives an ethnographic account of a healing practice in southern Malawi as observed by the research group of SFU students in July 2013. The paper is a product of an experimental writing process. Besides describing the healing practice of Dorothy Anderson, mechanisms of the psychology of culture contact are made transparent in the individual narrations of the participants and are discussed in the conclusion

Tuberculosis patients' knowledge and beliefs about tuberculosis: a mixed methods study from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu

Background: The setting for this study was the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, an archipelago of 82 islands, located in the South Pacific Ocean. Our objective was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of tuberculosis (TB) patients towards TB. Methods. This was a descriptive study using qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative analysis was based on the responses provided to closed questions, and we present frequencies to describe the TB patients' knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to TB. Qualitative analysis was based on open questions permitting fuller explanations. We used thematic analysis and developed a posteriori inductive categories to draw conclusions. Results: Thirty five TB patients were interviewed; 22 (63%) were male. They attributed TB to cigarettes, kava, alcohol, contaminated food, sharing eating utensils and "kastom" (the local term for the traditional way of life, but also for sorcery). Most (94%) did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. However, almost all TB patients (89%) thought that TB was best treated at a hospital with antibiotics. Three quarters (74%) experienced stigma after their TB diagnosis.Seeking health care from a traditional healer was common; 54% of TB patients stated that they would first consult a traditional healer for any illness. When seeking a diagnosis for signs and symptoms of TB, 34% first consulted a traditional healer. Patients cited cost, distance and beliefs about TB causation as reasons for first consulting a traditional healer or going to the hospital. Of the TB patients who consulted a traditional healer first, there was an average of two weeks delay before they consulted the health service. In some cases, however, the delay was up to six years. Conclusion: The majority of the TB patients interviewed did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. Consulting a traditional healer for health care, including while seeking a diagnosis for TB symptoms, was common and may have delayed diagnosis. People require better information about TB to correct commonly held misperceptions about the disease. Traditional healers could also be engaged with the national TB programme, in order to refer people with signs and symptoms of TB to the nearest health service

Incorporating African Indigenous Healing into the Counselling Services in Tertiary Institutions: A Preliminary Exploration

The study explored how a tertiary institution was responding to the challenge to meet the mental health needs of students from traditional African backgrounds. The study explored the unique contribution of a traditional healing service that was availed to the students. Collaboration between the traditional healer, and psychologically trained counsellors, and the obstacles towards integration, were also explored. A qualitative research design was used. Data were collected by means of individual interviews and focus group discussions. Thirty-five, purposefully chosen stakeholders participated: African undergraduate and post-graduate students, student counsellors, leaders of the student services division, and a traditional diviner (isangoma). The findings indicate that the campus-based traditional healer specialized in treating spiritual illnesses and students’ family identity issues. All participants identified the traditional healer as an indispensable member of an interdisciplinary health care team. Infrastructural and ethical/logical issues pose a major challenge towards integration

Health Seeking Behavior in Northern KwaZulu-Natal

We examine patterns of health seeking behaviour prior to death among 1282 individuals who lived in the Umkhanyakude District of Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Information on the health care choices of these individuals, who died between January 2003 and July 2004, was gathered after their deaths from their primary care-givers. We examine choices made concerning public and private medicine, western and traditional medicine, and non-prescribed self-medication. We find that virtually all adults who were ill prior to death sought treatment from a Western medical provider, visiting either a public clinic or a private doctor. In this district, which is predominantly poor, ninety percent of adults who sought treatment from a public clinic also visited a private doctor. Fifty percent also sought treatment from a traditional healer, suggesting that traditional medicine is seen as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, Western care. Better educated people who were ill for less than a month before dying were significantly more likely to visit a private doctor, while those least well educated were more likely to visit a traditional healer. Controlling for length of illness, better educated and wealthier people sought care from a greater range of providers, and spent significantly more on their treatment.

Traditional Healers and Mental Health in Nepal: A Scoping Review.

Despite extensive ethnographic and qualitative research on traditional healers in Nepal, the role of traditional healers in relation to mental health has not been synthesized. We focused on the following clinically based research question, "What are the processes by which Nepali traditional healers address mental well-being?" We adopted a scoping review methodology to maximize the available literature base and conducted a modified thematic analysis rooted in grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology. We searched five databases using terms related to traditional healers and mental health. We contacted key authors and reviewed references for additional literature. Our scoping review yielded 86 eligible studies, 65 of which relied solely on classical qualitative study designs. The reviewed literature suggests that traditional healers use a wide range of interventions that utilize magico-religious explanatory models to invoke symbolic transference, manipulation of local illness narratives, roles, and relationships, cognitive restructuring, meaning-making, and catharsis. Traditional healers' perceived impact appears greatest for mild to moderate forms of psychological distress. However, the methodological and sample heterogeneity preclude uniform conclusions about traditional healing. Further research should employ methods which are both empirically sound and culturally adapted to explore the role of traditional healers in mental health

Epistemologi penyembuhan kiai tabib

This article analyzes the epistemology of healing developed by kiai-traditional healer. In the Indonesian-Islamic tradition of healing, the kiai-traditional healer develops his own epistemological construct of healing, based on: (1) textual basis (bayânî) referring to classical Islamic references, such as al-Awfâq and Shams al-Ma‘ârif; (2) intuitive power (‘irfânî) in the form of mystical practices, such as spiritual endeavor (mujâhadah), tawajjuh, self-cleansing (tazkîyat al-nafs), wara‘, consistency (istiqâmah), and forbearance (ṣabr); and (3) pragmatic basis of the truth, particularly its utility value for the society. Normatively, the kiai-traditional healer uses different media of healing in terms of its easiness, belief or charm. Accordingly, it results in an impression that there are many modes of healing, i.e., medical, magical, mystical, and cosmic. The meaning of healing by the kiai-traditional healer constitutes a placebo effect of well-being, that is, an attempt of the kiai to implant evocation to recover the condition of human being

Hmong Adults Self-Rated Oral Health: A Pilot Study

Since 1975, the Hmong refugee population in the U.S. has increased over 200%. However, little is known about their dental needs or self-rated oral health (SROH). The study aims were to: (1) describe the SROH, self-rated general health (SRGH), and use of dental/physician services; and (2) identify the factors associated with SROH among Hmong adults. A cross-sectional study design with locating sampling methodology was used. Oral health questionnaire was administered to assess SROH and SRGH, past dental and physician visits, and language preference. One hundred twenty adults aged 18–50+ were recruited and 118 had useable information. Of these, 49% rated their oral health as poor/fair and 30% rated their general health as poor/fair. Thirty-nine percent reported that they did not have a regular source of dental care, 46% rated their access to dental care as poor/fair, 43% visited a dentist and 66% visited a physician within the past 12 months. Bivariate analyses demonstrated that access to dental care, past dental visits, age and SRGH were significantly associated with SROH (P \u3c 0.05). Multivariate analyses demonstrated a strong association between access to dental care and good/excellent SROH. About half of Hmong adults rated their oral health and access to dental care as poor. Dental insurance, access to dental care, past preventive dental/physician visits and SRGH were associated with SROH

PATTERN OF COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY USED BY PATIENTS IN DIABETES CARE REGIMENT

Background: Diabetes is chronic health problem which couldnt be cured. Use of medical therapy in a long term need huge budget and increase risk of adverse effect. Complementary/ alternative medicine CAM) is a choice for patient in diabetes care management beside conventional medical therapy. Some of CAM were’nt have enough evidence based support respect to its benefit and adverse effect. Objective: Aim of the study was to explore pattern of use of CAM by diabetic patient. Methods: The study used qualitative descriptive phenomenology method and data collected by in-depth interview. Participants were 4 diabetic patient and 2 of diabetic patient family member who used CAM. Result: Diabetes patients perceive complementary therapy as an effort to manage disease, complement to other diabetes care regiments, and substitutes or complements of medical drugs therapy. Reasons of use of complementary therapy were low cost, practical, and effective therapeutic impact. CAMs used by diabetes patient were herbs, animal, supplement diet, pray, and massage. Sources of information of CAM were families, friends, and traditional healer. Herbs ingredients were boiled, applied with hot water, made like a coffee, or cooked like salads/ vedgetables. Impact of complementary therapy used faced by diabetic patient were both beneficial and detrimental. Discussion: Study findings congruent with other studies. Diabetes patient manage CAM administration by themself and no consultation with health professionals that may harmfull for them eventhough they only experience minor side effect. Its need further study to find conclusive CAM effectivity and safety. Conclutions: The study findings consist of diabetes patient perception about CAM, reasons of CAM uses, how to uses CAM, and impact felt after CAM uses. Use of complementary therapy need to be consulted with health professionals to help diabetic patient consider its adverse effects and beneficials. Keywords : Diabetes, Complementary/ Alternative Medicine (CAM

Navigating multiple sources of healing in the context of HIV/AIDS and wide availability of antiretroviral treatment: a qualitative study of community participants’ perceptions and experiences in rural South Africa

Background: South Africa introduced the world’s largest antiretroviral treatment (ART) program in 2004 and since 2016 the Department of Health implemented a universal Treatment as Prevention (TasP) strategy. However, some studies have shown that increasing the availability of ART is insufficient for the comprehensive treatment of HIV, since many people still use traditional health practitioners (THPs) to avoid being identified as HIV positive, and for reasons unrelated to HIV/AIDS. This qualitative study explored the factors influencing how both HIV-negative and HIV-positive people choose amongst multiple sources of healing and how they engage with them, in the context of HIV/AIDS and wide availability of ART. Methods: Data were collected as part of a larger TasP trial at the Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal. Repeat in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 10 participants. Repeat group discussions were conducted with 42 participants. Group discussion data were triangulated using community walks and photo-voice techniques to give more insight into the perceptions of community members. All data were collected over 18 months. Thematic analysis was used to analyze participants’ narratives from both individual interviews and group discussions. Findings: In the context of HIV/AIDS and wide availability of ART, use of biomedical and traditional healing systems seemed to be common in this locality. People used THPs to meet family expectations, particularly those of authoritative heads of households such as parents or grandparents. Most participants believed that THPs could address specific types of illnesses, especially those understood to be spiritually caused and which could not be addressed or cured by biomedical practitioners. However, it was not easy for participants to separate some spiritually caused illnesses from biological illnesses in the context of HIV/AIDS. These data demonstrate that in this context, the use of THPs continues regardless of the wide availability of ART. To meet the health care needs of those patients requiring a health care system which combines biomedical and traditional approaches, collaboration and integration of biomedical and traditional health care should be considered