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Healthcare-seeking behaviour and management of type 2 diabetes: From Ugandan traditional healers’ perspective
Linnaeus University, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Health and Caring Sciences. Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda.
Linköping university, Sweden.
2016 (English)In: International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, E-ISSN 2214-1391, Vol. 5, p. 17-23Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background Healthcare-seeking behaviour has been investigated to a limited extent in persons with diabetes, and the way traditional healers manage diabetes still needs exploration. Aim To explore healthcare-seeking behaviour and management of type 2 diabetes from the perspective of traditional healers in the folk sector to understand how traditional medicine is integrated into the professional health sector. Design A qualitative descriptive study. Method A purposeful sample of 16 traditional healers known in the area. Data were collected by individual semi-structured interviews. Findings Healthcare was sought from the professional health sector, mainly from the public hospitals, before the patients switched to the traditional healers. Reasons for seeking help from traditional healers were mainly chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and the perceived failure of western medicine to manage diabetes. The cost at the healers’ facilities also influenced healthcare seeking because it was perceived to be affordable as it was negotiable and accessible because it was always available. Traditional medicine therapies of patients with diabetes were herbal medicine, nutritional products and counselling, but many patients whose conditions were difficult to manage were told to return to the public hospitals in the professional health sector. Conclusion Healthcare seeking was inconsistent in character, with a switch between different healthcare providers. Living conditions including treatment costs, healthcare organization, patients’ health beliefs and general condition seemed to influence healthcare seeking practice. © 2016 The Authors

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2016. Vol. 5, p. 17-23
Keywords [en]
adult; aged; Article; blood pressure monitoring; clinical article; counseling; descriptive research; dietary compliance; female; health practitioner; health program; help seeking behavior; herbal medicine; human; male; medical record; middle aged; non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; occupational health; priority journal; psychologic assessment; qualitative research; semi structured interview; traditional healer; traditional medicine; very elderly; young adult
National Category
Nursing
Research subject
Health and Caring Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-99495DOI: 10.1016/j.ijans.2016.09.002Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84987926897OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-99495DiVA, id: diva2:1509238
Available from: 2020-12-11 Created: 2020-12-11 Last updated: 2021-12-15Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Healthcare-seeking behaviour and management of type 2 diabetes in Uganda: Perspectives of persons with diabetes, traditional healers and healthcare providers
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Healthcare-seeking behaviour and management of type 2 diabetes in Uganda: Perspectives of persons with diabetes, traditional healers and healthcare providers
2017 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Healthcare-seeking behaviour is important as it determines acceptance ofhealthcare and outcomes of chronic conditions, but it has been investigated to alimited extent, and not in developing countries. The overall aim was to explorehow persons with type 2 diabetes seek care to manage diabetes using differenthealthcare providers including the use of complementary alternative medicine andtraditional healers in Uganda. The study design was a combination of quantitativeand qualitative studies to explore and describe healthcare-seeking behaviour. Thethesis included 41 persons with type 2 diabetes, 16 traditional healers, and 108healthcare professionals. Individual semi-structured interviews, focus groupinterviews and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Datawere analysed using qualitative content analysis, qualitative data analysis of focusgroup interviews and descriptive statistics of quantitative data.The preference health service provider for people with diabetes was identified asthe professional health sector. Healthcare was mainly sought, or perceived to besought, among doctors and nurses in the public hospitals. Perceived failure inhealthcare to manage diabetes or its complications led many, particularly women,to seek alternative treatment from complementary alternative medicinepractitioners. Reasons why persons with diabetes switched between differenthealthcare providers were symptoms of diabetes or complications related to poorglycemic control. Patients who sought alternative medicine reported to have beentired of taking western medicine as their condition did not improve or they hopedfor cure. Traditional therapies of patients with diabetes were mainly described asherbal medicine, nutritional products of local fruits and vegetables. Healthcareorganization, treatments costs, patients’ health beliefs, and general conditionseemed to have influenced healthcare-seeking practices.In conclusion, the pattern of care seeking was inconsistent, with a switch betweendifferent healthcare providers under the influence of the popular and folk sectors.Healthcare providers need to develop a well-designed package of diabetes andself-care management education designed to raise awareness about diabetes care atall levels. Nurses and other health professionals need to carry out a comprehensivehealth assessment to identify individuals’ educational needs in order to provideappropriate educational and clinical support, in well-organized diabetes care, tomaintain good health.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Linnaeus University Press, 2017. p. 71
Series
Linnaeus University Dissertations ; 287
National Category
Nursing
Research subject
Health and Caring Sciences, Nursing
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-108596 (URN)9789188357748 (ISBN)
Available from: 2021-12-15 Created: 2021-12-15 Last updated: 2022-03-17Bibliographically approved

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Atwine, Fortunate

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Citation style
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