Traditional health practices: A qualitative inquiry among traditional health practitioners in northern Uganda on becoming a healer, perceived causes of illnesses, and diagnostic approaches

PLOS ONE · 6 authors, 5 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

POPULATIONTraditional health practitioners aged 39–80 years in northern Uganda

INTERVENTION

COMPARISON

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

“

TL;DR

This qualitative study interviewed 22 traditional health practitioners in northern Uganda to understand how healing powers are acquired, perceived causes of illnesses, and diagnostic approaches.

Full summary

958 CHARS

This was a cross-sectional qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews with traditional health practitioners identified through Acoli cultural institutions and snowball sampling in northern Uganda. Twenty-two THPs aged 39–80 years, mostly male and married, were interviewed. Three main themes were identified: pathways to becoming a THP, perceived causes of illnesses, and diagnostic approaches. The majority reported acquiring healing power through inheritance from parents or grandparents, transfer from senior healers, instructions during visions and dreams, and spirit possession. Illness causes included fate, spirit attacks, curses, witchcraft, contagion, poor hygiene, heredity, and malevolent actions. Limitations include cultural specificity restricting transferability to similar Luo communities, inability to observe rituals due to intellectual property concerns, and only eight of 22 respondents participated in validation checks.

PICO

PPOPULATION

Traditional health practitioners aged 39–80 years in northern Uganda

OOUTCOME

Perceptions of how healing power is acquired, perceived causes of illnesses, and diagnostic approaches

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

epidemiology

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10124846

Traditional health practices: A qualitative inquiry among traditional health practitioners in northern Uganda on becoming a healer, perceived causes of illnesses, and diagnostic approaches

PLOS ONE

READ THE FULL PAPER

ABSTRACT

Background The practice of traditional and complementary medicine is increasing in most low-and middle-income countries especially for chronic communicable and non-communicable diseases. In this study, we aimed to understand how people gain healing power and become traditional health practitioners (THPs), perceived causes of illnesses, and how THPs diagnose illnesses. Methods This was a cross-sectional qualitative interview-based study. We used semi-structured in-depth guides to collect data from THPs identified through the Acoli cultural institutions and snowball sampling technique. The study team visited the THPs and interviewed them in their homes. Some THPs allowed the study team to visit them more than once and as well observe their healing practices and medicines. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Atlas.ti version 9.2 was used to support data analysis. Results Twenty two THPs aged 39–80 years were included in the study. Most of the respondents were male, and married. We identified three main themes: (i) how people gain healing power and become traditional health practitioners; (ii) perceived causes of illnesses; and (iii) how illnesses are diagnosed. The majority of respondents reported that most people become THPs through: inheriting healing power from their parents or grandparents; transfer of healing powers from senior healers; instructions during visions and dreams; and, acquiring healing power during spirits possessions. Perceived causes of illnesses included: fate and natural causes, spirits attacks, curses by elders, witchcraft, contagion and infections, poor hygiene, heredity, and malevolent actions. THPs diagnose illnesses through various approaches including consultations with spirits, observing patterns of occurrences and events, evaluation of symptoms and signs of illnesses, use of bones from animals/birds and other objects to diagnose illnesses, performing diagnostic rituals, and using biomedical laboratory testing in health facilities. Conclusion Healing knowledge and powers are acquired in particular ways that can be traced to appraise authenticity of healers during registration and licensing to ensure safety of patients. Understanding perspectives of the THPS on causes of illnesses and how diagnoses are made potentially informs strategies for integration and or collaboration between the national biomedical health system and traditional health practices.

CITATION EXPORT

Amos Deogratius Mwaka, Jennifer Achan, Christopher Garimoi Orach et al.. Traditional health practices: A qualitative inquiry among traditional health practitioners in northern Uganda on becoming a healer, perceived causes of illnesses, and diagnostic approaches. PLOS ONE. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282491

AUTHORS

6 · 5 CENTRES

Amos Deogratius Mwaka, Jennifer Achan, Christopher Garimoi Orach, Adetayo Olorunlana, Adetayo Olorunlana, Adetayo Olorunlana

1 Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
2 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
3 School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Msakerere University, Kampala, Uganda
4 Department of Community Health & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Caleb University, NIGERIA

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Adetayo Olorunlana