The majority of black South Africans utilize the services of indigenous healers and the new
National
Health Plan for South Africa makes provision for cooperation between the healers and formal health
practitioners.
The purpose of this study was to determine the role played by indigenous African healers in the
prevention of diseases and the promotion of health, and to design a model which will provide
guidelines for cooperation between indigenous healers and formal health workers.
This study was ethno-medical, contextual, exploratory and qualitative. It was designed to look
into the health care of a specific cultural group to explore in depth the experiences of indigenous
healers in providing health care within their cultural context.
Data was collected by individual free-type interviews from indigenous African healers, users of
formal health services and by observation.
It was found that there is dual utilization of both formal and indigenous health service systems by
clients. A specific culbrral terminology relating to health was found to be used. Such terminology
could result in communication gaps and breakdowns if not known to or used by formal health workers.
The findings show that cultural beliefs are still strongly adhered to. These were found to
influence
the life-styles and health maintenance behaviour of a cultural group. The fmdings show that
divination
fonns the core of health assessment and health-problem diagnosis. It was found that no health
problem could be attended to without first going through a divination session.
The findings also show involvement of indigenous healers in primary health care workers at first
contact levels of prevention in the field of paediatric preventive care. Diarrhoea and vomiting in
children was found to be the preventable disease in which healers specialize. Infertility and
impotence were found to be conditions taken to healers for treatment. Other sexually transmitted
diseases as well as culture-bound syndromes treated by indigenous healers were found in this study.
The use of rituals and rites of passage and the involvement of ancestors were found to form part
ofholistic health care.
The fmdings show the willingness of healers to collaborate with formal health workers. A model is
designed to guide the process of collaboration. / Health Studies / D. Lit. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/17721 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Shai-Mahoko, Sophie Nkinki |
| Contributors | Dreyer, J. M. (J. Marie), Makhubela-Nkondo, Olga Naome |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xix, 204 leaves) |
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