18 Integrating Traditional Healing and Northern Health Care: Indigenous Conceptions of Living Well

2021 ◽  
pp. 346-361
Author(s):  
Cindy Peltier
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Living Well

Traditional Healing in the Prevention and Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

1994 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang G. Jilek
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Folk Beliefs ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Alcohol And Drug Abuse ◽  
Traditional Practitioners ◽  
Traditional Approaches

This article reviews traditional non-Western approaches to the treatment and prevention of substance abuse and dependence. Therapeutic practices reported here are based on Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, Islamic and shaman ic traditions as well as on syncretistic Christianized folk beliefs. Traditional practitioners operate outside the official health care system but in some areas in collab oration with it. Analysis of these practices reveals general principles of traditional healing and permits hypotheses on the advantages and disadvantages of traditional approaches.

scholarly journals Efficiency and Outcome of Healing Practices Performed by Spirit Dancers in Healing Mental Illness – A Patient’s Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 803-808
Author(s):  
Prakasha Amin ◽  
Mohan A.K
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Black Magic

BACKGROUND In many rural communities, the cause of mental illness is attributed to black magic, spirit possession of past sin and the coastal region of Karnataka is not exempted from it. The natives of this region ascribe the cause of mental illness to the spirit or demigod, and they seek the help of traditional healers such as spirit dancers for the recovery. This help-seeking behaviour of the people results in delay in seeking psychiatry care and affects the recovery of the person with mental health problems. Therefore, this study explores the opinion of clients undergone traditional healing for mental health problems and the results of the study could contribute to planning an appropriate health promotion activity to promote community mental health. METHODS The present study was explorative, undertaken in the Udupi district of Karnataka state, which explores the views of the respondents about the cause of mental health problem and the outcome of traditional healing for their problems. Altogether 200 clients visiting traditional healers for mental health care were interviewed based on the snowball sampling technique and the interview schedule was used as a tool to gather the data. RESULTS Of the 200 respondents interviewed, 27.5 percent were adults (31 to 40 years), while 43.1 percent were unemployed. Black magic was found to be the major cause for mental health problems among 25.5 percent of the respondents; whereas, 26 percent of the respondents felt recovered completely after undergoing traditional healing for mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS The recognition of mental health problems is very much essential for people with mental health problems to seek professional help. This could help mental health professionals to diagnose illness at the very beginning and provide better mental health care. However, the explanatory model of the patients needs to be taken into consideration while providing modern medical care. KEY WORDS Black Magic, Mental Illness, Serpent Worship, Spirt Dancer, Traditional Healers

scholarly journals Nigerian cultural beliefs about mental health conditions and traditional healing: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dung Ezekiel Jidong ◽  
Di Bailey ◽  
Tholene Sodi ◽  
Linda Gibson ◽  
Natéwindé Sawadogo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mental Health Conditions

Purpose This study aims to explore how cultural beliefs and traditions are integral to understanding indigenous mental health conditions (MHCs) and traditional healing (TH). However, Nigerian cultural beliefs about MHCs and TH are under-researched. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative design using critical realist and social constructionist perspectives to explore Nigerian mental health-care practitioners (MHCPs) and lay participants’ (LPs) views regarding MHCs and TH. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 53 participants (MHCPs = 26; LPs = 27; male = 32; female = 21) in four Nigerian cities (Ado-Ekiti, Enugu, Jos and Zaria). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed through thematic analyses. Findings The data sets revealed three overarching themes, namely, existing cultural beliefs about MHCs as spiritual curse; description of TH as the first treatment modality for MHCs; and perceived stigma associated with MHCs and help-seeking behaviours. Originality/value A study on Nigerian cultural beliefs and TH contributes meaningfully to mental health systems. Future research and policy initiatives could explore ways of optimising TH practices and community awareness programmes to increase access to mental health care in Nigeria.

scholarly journals The concept of diseases and health care in African traditional religion in Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter White
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Traditional Religion ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
African Traditional Religion ◽  
The Government

As human beings we sometimes in one way or another become sick, and therefore go for treatment depending on our choice of treatment (religious perspective or Western medical treatment). Although African traditional religion is not against a Western medical way of treatment or healing process, its followers believe that there are some diseases that Western medicine cannot treat, and therefore need spiritual attention, as it is sometimes practiced in churches. This article discusses the African traditional view regarding disease, causes of disease, how disease is diagnosed and treated, with a special focus on Ghana. The article also describes the role of the diviner or the African traditional priest or what others may term as ‘herbalists’. The advantages and disadvantages of the African traditional healing process are considered. The article concludes by discussing African traditional healing in the context of a contemporary health care discourse, as well as a proposal for dialogue between traditional healers, Western medical practitioners, the government of Ghana, and the governments of various countries where this issue may be applicable, to build a consensus in addressing health issues.

scholarly journals Attitudes and knowledge of nurse practitioners towards traditional healing, faith healing and complementary medicine in the Northern Province of South Africa

Curationis ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Peltzer ◽  
L.B. Khoza
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Complementary Medicine ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Faith Healing ◽  
Northern Province ◽  
Registered Professional Nurses ◽  
Professional Nurses ◽  
Attitudes And Knowledge ◽  
Harmful Effects

Objective: To investigate the attitudes and knowledge of nurses towards traditional healing, faith healing and complementary therapies in the Northern Province in South Africa. Design: Survey of nurses. Setting: Registered professional nurses at health centres and clinics. Participants: 84 registered professional nurses Results: Nurse’s perceptions were basically positive toward ethnomedical therapy (traditional healing, faith healing and complementary medicine); this also included their integration into the primary health care system. Mean ratings for referral to a faith healer was 2.7, followed by complementary medicine (2.6) and traditional healing (2.2). Although low rates of referrals to ethnomedical therapists were practised, it was done so mainly in the patient’s interest and not as a last resort for chronic or terminal illness. Most did not discuss with a patient benefits of traditional healing but 71% discussed the possible harmful effects. However, the majority discussed the benefits rather than harmful effects of faith healing. With respect to mean ratings on knowledge, faith healing was considered the most important (4.3), followed by complementary medicine (4.2), and traditional healing (4.1). Conclusion: Faith healing was considered as more important than complementary medicine and traditional healing. Implications are relevant for nursing health care and policy.

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