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Using traditional healers to treat child malnutrition a qualitative study of health-seeking behaviour in eastern Ethiopia.pdf (748.48 kB)

Using traditional healers to treat child malnutrition: a qualitative study of health-seeking behaviour in eastern Ethiopia

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posted on 2023-06-10, 03:54 authored by Ketema Degefa, Adugna Tadesse, Caroline AckleyCaroline Ackley, Lola Madrid, Nega Assefa, Markus Breines, Kasthuri Sivalogan, Maria Maixenchs, John Blevins
Background: Malnutrition among children under five years of age is a major public health issue in many low and middle-income constrained countries. According to WHO, 5.3 million under-five children die every year and about 45% of these deaths are linked to malnutrition. While it is clear that poverty and lack of food are important factors in children’s malnutrition, less is known about the ways in which local conceptions of malnutrition affect parents’ treatment choices. In Ethiopia, child malnutrition is a severe public health problem and a common cause of child death, and this paper explores the local views of malnutrition and how these shape people’s health-seeking behaviour. Methods: The study was conducted in eastern Ethiopia from December 2017 to January 2019, conducting interviews and focus group discussions to explore different views and treatment options malnutrition. The study used grounded theory because it allows new and unexpected themes to arise from the data. Researchers’ assumptions on local terminologies of child malnutrition are also controlled as a principle of ground theory. Results: Child malnutrition was not only perceived to be related to lack of food but was understood in a wider local conceptualization of health and illness. Parents often relied on healers because they are long-standing members of the community, possess indigenous knowledge, and cost less than other options. Because health professionals and the community perceive and speak of health very differently, people often do not seek support from health services. The misalignments between how health professionals and healers diagnose and treat malnourished children have implications on the possibilities to implement change to reduce malnutrition. Conclusions: Through an exploration of people’s own terminology and understandings of what a malnourished child is, as well as the underlying reasons for their illness, this paper explores how people understand malnutrition symptoms and why many tend to rely on healers rather than seeking care from health centres.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

BMC Public Health

ISSN

1471-2458

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Volume

22

Page range

873

Event location

England

Department affiliated with

  • Global Health and Infection Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2022-06-16

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2022-06-16

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2022-06-14

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