Treatment-seeking behaviour among the Nasioi people of Bougainville: choosing between traditional and western medicine

Macfarlane, Joan; Alpers, Michael P.

doi:10.1080/13557850802546588

Cited by 18 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In other settings, however, seeking treatment from the hospital system and traditional healers is common [4,19,54]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Worldwide, many people with symptoms of TB consult traditional healers, often before seeking western medical care [5,18,19]. The proportion of people who would first consult a traditional healer depends on the setting, and on contextual factors, including cost, ease of access and local beliefs about TB causation [19-22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The proportion of people who would first consult a traditional healer depends on the setting, and on contextual factors, including cost, ease of access and local beliefs about TB causation [19-22]. In studies from three countries in Africa, between 6% and 51% of TB patients first consulted a traditional healer [5,23-25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aetiological beliefs strongly influence choice of care, and if witchcraft is considered the cause, a traditional healer will likely be sought first [4,9,11]. Some patients consult traditional healers western medical services concurrently [4,19]. TB patients may also opt to self-treat with home remedies or over-the-counter medications [26,27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2014

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BackgroundThe 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.MethodsThis 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.ResultsThirty 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.ConclusionThe 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.

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“…In other settings, however, seeking treatment from the hospital system and traditional healers is common [4,19,54]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2014

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“…One study conducted in the PNG province of Bougainville did consider both formal and informal health care providers as well as the possibility that individuals may seek more than one type of treatment during an illness episode [31]. Proximity, costs and perceived effectiveness of treatment were discovered to be the most important factors in determining what type of treatment people sought [32,33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeking treatment for symptomatic malaria in Papua New Guinea

Davy

Ome

Lawrence‐Wood

et al. 2010

Malar J

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BackgroundMalaria places a significant burden on the limited resources of many low income countries. Knowing more about why and where people seek treatment will enable policy makers to better allocate the limited resources. This study aims to better understand what influences treatment-seeking behaviour for malaria in one such low-income country context, Papua New Guinea (PNG).MethodsTwo culturally, linguistically and demographically different regions in PNG were selected as study sites. A cross sectional household survey was undertaken in both sites resulting in the collection of data on 928 individuals who reported suffering from malaria in the previous four weeks. A probit model was then used to identify the factors determining whether or not people sought treatment for presumptive malaria. Multinomial logit models also assisted in identifying the factors that determined where people sought treatments.ResultsResults in this study build upon findings from other studies. For example, while distance in PNG has previously been seen as the primary factor in influencing whether any sort of treatment will be sought, in this study cultural influences and whether it was the first, second or even third treatment for a particular episode of malaria were also important. In addition, although formal health care facilities were the most popular treatment sources, it was also found that traditional healers were a common choice. In turn, the reasons why participants chose a particular type of treatment differed according to the whether they were seeking an initial or subsequent treatments.ConclusionsSimply bringing health services closer to where people live may not always result in a greater use of formal health care facilities. Policy makers in PNG need to consider within-country variation in treatment-seeking behaviour, the important role of traditional healers and also ensure that the community fully understands the potential implications of not seeking treatment for illnesses such as malaria at a formal health care facility.

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Diet and physical activity among migrant Bougainvilleans in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: Association with anthropometric measures and blood pressure

Vengiau

Umezaki

Phuanukoonnon

et al. 2012

American J Hum Biol

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Treatment-seeking behaviour among the Nasioi people of Bougainville: choosing between traditional and western medicine

Cited by 18 publications

References 7 publications

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

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

Seeking treatment for symptomatic malaria in Papua New Guinea

Diet and physical activity among migrant Bougainvilleans in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: Association with anthropometric measures and blood pressure

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