3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Treatment received by children who visit traditional healers(2009-11-24T10:58:37Z) Ayibor, Prosper KwameOne hundred caregivers/parents were interviewed in the survey to find out treatments children who visited the traditional healers received and the outcome of such treatments, fees paid and motivation for soliciting the services of traditional healers. The mean age of respondents was 28.8 years and 22.4 months for children. Seventy five percent of respondents visited the traditional healer voluntarily while 25% were pressurised by family. The majority of respondents (70%) sent their children to the traditional healers for treatment for either inyoni (sunken anterior fontanel) or ibala (capillary naevus). Six-four percent of the children were given oral herbal preparations, 57% had scarification while others had talisman/amulet for protection. Seventy-five percent of the children recovered after visiting the traditional healers. Six-three percent of the caregivers/parents were satisfied with the treatment received and expressed their willingness to visit again. Recommendations have been offered to improve collaboration between western medical and traditional medical practices for the benefit of children.Item 'Renegotiated identities': stories of women who are initiated traditional healers and work in a hospital environment in a different capacity(2009-07-27T09:44:15Z) Human, LeoniThis study aims to explore the experiences of traditional healers who work in a hospital environment in a different capacity. A secondary aim of this inquiry is to look at how participants' perceptions of the interface between traditional and modern medicine in a hospital context influences their practices as both traditional healers and hospital employees. A snowball sampling strategy was employed and five suitable participants were identified through referral and post-interview selection. Participants were selected from a sample of South African-born women who have experienced an ancestral calling and initiation into African traditional healing, have been initiated as an Inyanga/iSangoma (diviner), and are presently working in a different vocational capacity in a hospital environment. All participants work and reside in Gauteng. Data was collected through two semi-structured interviews per participant. Interviews were based on an interview guide. In looking at participants' experience as traditional healers who work in a hospital and how their perceptions on the interface between traditional and modern medicine influence their traditional healing practices, four research questions have been identified: 1. How do participants perceive themselves as a traditional healer? 2. How do participants perceive and experience their work in the hospital? 3. How do participants perceive the interface between traditional and modern approaches to healing in a hospital context? 4. How do participants experience the perceptions of others at work? A qualitative approach was adopted in order to gain an in-depth understanding of participants' experiences. Data analysis was guided by narrative and thematic approaches. Thus results are presented in accordance with principles of narrative and thematic content analysis. Interpretation of data focused on the ways in which these women relate to their role as traditional healer in a different vocational capacity and how their perceptions reflect a broader dialogue on the relationship between traditional and modern healing modalities in a modern health care context. Participants felt empowered by some colleagues who consulted them on traditional healing skills and applied them to patients without constraint upon their working duties. All felt they needed their jobs to support a decent living as full-time work as traditional healers would not provide for all their needs. Implications for future research and collaboration between western and traditional healing systems are considered.Item Traditional healers and their role in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Johannesburg , Jeppestown(2008-03-06T08:49:16Z) Ndingi, SandileABSTRACT The Ministry of Health in South Africa has launched massive campaigns to try and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, South Africa still has more people infected with HIV/AIDS than any other country in the world. This has led to government and health care planners re-evaluating neglected traditional health systems as potential contributors to health care delivery. This report highlights some areas where traditional healers can play a role in the prevention of HIV/AIDS as told by traditional healers themselves. In discussing these roles, the report raises the need for supportive government policy. Up to now government policies on HIV/AIDS have relied largely on biomedical explanations of illness and ignored other popular explanations. This poses a serious problem in a country like South Africa, where a large proportion of the population consults traditional healers first before consulting the medical sector. Such policies also impact on collaborative measures between the two sectors. Thus far, almost all prevention programmes are run by clinics with very little interaction with other sectors. The report then goes on to discuss the perceptions on HIV/AIDS as discussed by traditional healers. In so doing, the report begins to touch on the role of traditional practices that relates to sexual behaviour in HIV/AIDS prevention. As custodians of traditional culture, traditional healers have a huge role to play in re-inventing such practices in a manner that raises awareness about HIV/AIDS and at the same time preventing the spread of the disease.