Thesis (PhD)--University of Limpopo, 2010. / The role of indigenous healers and spiritual faith healers in managing various conditions of ill-health has been studied and debated. The aim of this study was to determine how indigenous healers and spiritual faith healers understand and define HIV/AIDS stigma and to explore the role that indigenous healers and faith healers play in reducing or reinforcing HIV/AIDS stigma in their communities. In this study, a qualitative approach and in particular, the grounded theory methodology was used. Grounded theory is described as a research method in which theory is developed from data, rather than the other way round. The application of this methodology included personal interviews with thirty-nine practising indigenous healers and spiritual faith healers in the Limpopo Province, while additional information was gleaned from the literature review. The researcher focused on the participants‟ conceptualisation of HIV stigma, from the context of the African world view in order to gain insight into their roles as healers. The findings indicate that indigenous healers‟ cultural beliefs prevented them from having a deeper understanding of HIV stigma when compared to the faith healers. Indigenous healers were generally found to have a positive attitude towards People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA), while spiritual faith healers showed a less positive attitude towards PLWA. The study further found that „HIV secrecy clause‟ contained in the South African National Policy on HIV/AIDS for Learners and Educators (August 1999) prevents traditional and spiritual faith healers, the affected and infected, the family and society at large from disclosing the HIV status of those infected. It is suggested that the tendency not to disclose has the potential to encourage stigmatization and discrimination whilst at the same time hindering efforts to find solutions to the problem. The study is concluded by suggesting that HIV testing must be compulsory for every person who consults in a hospital. Such a policy move could contribute positively in terms of health promotion. / Medical Research Council

Submitted in partial completion for the degree of PHD in Community Psychology in the University of Zululand, 2006. / HIV/AIDS is the current century's challenge that stares humanity in the eye. The socio-political, economic, spiritual and philosophical dimensions of our society have to face up to this challenge. This brings one to the conclusion that HIV/AIDS is a national disaster and should be dealt with as such. In other words, interventions geared towards combating this epidemic should address all the spheres mentioned above. The main purpose of this study then was to investigate the role of indigenous healers in combating HIV and AIDS. The rationale for looking at the role of indigenous healers was to ensure that their role is highlighted for a joint effort that is necessary for the advocacy, awareness, education, care and medical intervention which is necessary to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis. This challenge goes as far as involving non-medical professionals and stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Focus group interviews and individual interviews were conducted with indigenous healers in the Gauteng and North West provinces. The results were analysed thematically. The results are presented in relation to the questions which were posed. The results reflected that traditional healers have demonstrated that they can make a very important contribution to the treatment of HIV/AIDS. However, they feel that they are not receiving a fair opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in treating HIV and AIDS. They also lack support from the public, from government policy, and from the modem medical fraternity. There have been efforts by the Minister of Health to incorporate traditional healing and traditional medicine as part of a holistic approach to the treatment and containment of HIV. This strengthens holistic health care ensuring the advocacy, awareness, education, care and medical intervention which is necessary to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis. Traditional healers need support and recognition from the public, the government and the modem medical fraternity. It was also evident from the results that the indigenous healers were very willing to co-operate with biomedical practitioners as shown in the statement below. Traditional healers reported that they did not routinely test their patients for HIV as they had no means of doing that. They were legally required to send their patients for testing through modem medical procedures. Most healers also said that they preferred their patients to be checked using modem medicine, and thereafter they would treat them accordingly. This is because they currently relied only on their ancestors to show them when the patient was positive. What is important to note is that these healers said that the disease was not presented to their bones as HIV/AIDS, but that they were only shown the known symptoms of HIV and then were able to deduce that the person was HIV positive.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- UNiversity of Limpopo, 2014 / A number of studies have revealed that chronic diseases are common in all communities. This study explored the views of indigenous healers regarding the causes and treatment of chronic diseases in Ga-Dikgale community. A qualitative approach was followed and participants were selected through snowball sampling. Seven participants (2 males and 5 females) who are indigenous healers were recruited for the study. Data was collected using in-depth semi-structured one-to-one interviews and analysed using content analysis. The results of the study are presented in terms of the following themes: a). Participants’ views regarding the types of chronic diseases: despite the divergent views held by indigenous healers regarding chronic diseases, they all perceive these debilitating conditions as incurable. b). Participants’ own explanations of the causes of chronic diseases: it appeared the causes of chronic diseases were attributed to both cultural beliefs and modern medical science. c). Participants’ experiences and subjective notions on the treatment methods for chronic diseases: it was found that Western medicine is considered the most viable option to treat chronic diseases instead of indigenous medicine. d). Participants’ descriptions of the most common diseases that they treat: indigenous healers treat non-chronic conditions instead of chronic diseases. e). Participants’ own perceptions of their roles in the community: it appeared indigenous healers felt they received support from their community as they were consulted mostly for non-chronic conditions; and f). Participants’ recommendations on how people with chronic diseases should be managed: indigenous healers recommend that people should seek medical intervention for treatment of chronic diseases. The study further revealed that indigenous healers in this community are not always the first line of treatment for chronic conditions. Instead, it was found that indigenous healers tend to advice patients with chronic diseases to seek medical intervention rather than traditional healing. The study is concluded by recommending further investigation on chronic diseases, including the possibilities of integrating indigenous healing and Western-oriented health care systems.

Thesis (M. A. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Several studies have shown that alternative health care practitioners play an important role in addressing the mental health care needs of individuals by offering culturally appropriate treatment. In South Africa, it has been suggested that indigenous healers are frequently consulted for mental illness when compared to their Western trained counterparts. The aim of the present study was to explore the conceptualization of mental illness by VhaVenda indigenous healers. Specifically, the study sought to achieve the following objectives: a). Establish what VhaVenda indigenous healers understand about mental illness; b). Determine the types of mental illness identified by VhaVenda indigenous healers; and, c). To determine what indigenous healers in this community perceive as the signs and symptoms of mental illness. A qualitative approach, and in particular, the case study method was used in the present study. Ten indigenous healers (male = 8: female = 2), aged between 35 and 60 were selected through snowball sampling and requested to participate in the study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using the content analysis method. The following psychological themes emerged from the study: a). participants understanding of mental illness; b). causes of mental illness; c). types of mental illness; d). signs and symptoms of mental illness; e). diagnoses of mental illness and f). Treatment of mental illness. The findings revealed that there are multiple causalities of mental illness and were accounted for by African indigenous beliefs. The findings of the present study further suggested that the participants do not have an elaborate nosological system that distinguishes between the different types of mental illness. Instead of giving names to the illnesses, the participants tended to describe the illness based on what is perceived as the cause which emanate from cultural ideologies. Furthermore, the results revealed that indigenous healers use the following treatment modalities to treat mental illness: namely, the use of herbs and indigenous practices. The study is concluded by making a few recommendations, that among others include consideration been given to some form of collaboration between indigenous healers and western trained health care practitioners.