Ethnomedical Beliefs, Health Education, and Malaria Eradication in Ethiopia

Abstract

It has been widely recognized that worldwide efforts to eradicate malaria have generally failed because they were largely based on biotechnological interventions while neglecting the human factor. WHO's Primary Health Care orientation emphasized the importance of situating disease eradication programs within the context of the medical beliefs, values, and needs of the target community. This study presents the results of a survey conducted in a rural Southern Ethiopian community on malaria-related beliefs and practices. The findings show that ethnomedical beliefs prevailed in the causational conceptualization of the disease. The majority of the respondents failed to acknowledge the Anopheline mosquitoes as a potential source of ill-health. This lack of vector awareness is discussed in relation to the need for community health education programs. Various organizational and infrastructural innovations introduced by the 1974 Ethiopian Socialist Revolution could be successfully utilized to disseminate basic medical information concerning the malaria cycle and to raise community participation in eradication programs.

Ethnomedical Beliefs and Utilization of Alcohol Herbal Remedy for Malaria in South-Coastal Nigeria

“…Consistent with existing findings on local perceptions of malaria and treatment seeking practices, 7,8 findings show the influence of malaria-related beliefs on treatment seeking. Ethnomedical therapies are preferred above biomedicine.…”

“…These are signs that you have malaria and you should treat it.Accounts indicate that the diagnosis of malaria does not present difficulties because the disease is common in the local community. 8 The respondents said that it is easy to tell when someone has malaria because it is a common and recurring disease. They stated that they are familiar with the signs and symptoms of malaria because they see it almost on a daily basis.…”

“…Ethnomedical beliefs and inadequate knowledge of malarial transmission have implications for malarial control, including preventing community participation in disease control programs. 8 Community health education programs should be mounted to promote accurate knowledge of malaria transmission and to encourage people to utilize appropriate health-care services.…”

“…Few studies examine malaria perceptions and management in the general population. 7 , 8 The limitations of anti-malaria medications such as limited access, cost, and safety concerns and the development of resistance have led to increased utilization of local plant-based therapies for the treatment of malaria. An estimated 75% of patients utilize traditional medicine for malaria in the tropical region.…”

Health locus of control in malawi: A failure to support the cross-cultural validity of the Hlocq

“…Ager, 1992;Agyepong, 1992;MacLachlan and Carr 1994;Peltzer, 1992;Shaba, MacLachlan, Carr and Ager, 1993;Vecchiato 1991). Much of this work -reflecting a core theme within the more general development of health psychology -has focused on attributions of cause for specific diseases and, a related topic, individuals' perceived control of health risks and outcomes.…”