cultural theories of disease causation in nigeria
If Allah wants you to stay healthy, you stay healthy. Oman Med J. Oxford: Clarendon; 1964. Alice Barrett is in hospital with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), and cannot feed herself. 4. The culture of a people is their identity as it affords them due recognition. We would like to thank the study participants and Tehuledere Woreda Health Bereau staff, as well as our research assistants for their great support to facilitate the data collection of study. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science. Therefore, the explanatory model of illness causation in this community was very similar to that of the Murdock model with one key difference: social elements need to be added to the model. The researcher was also able to make substantial observations of local activities such as rituals, festivities, public gatherings involving health practices, and converse informally with community members. By accepting, you agree to the updated privacy policy. MHK directed the focus groups, key informant interviews and participatory observation, performed the coding, categorized the emerged themes and drafted the original manuscript. The culture of the Tehuledere region reflects a mix of pre-Christian indigenous beliefs, as well as Christian, Muslim and migrant Cushitic Oromo (largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia) influences. Reading: Gordon and Breach Science; 1992. Participants ranged in age from approximately 35 to 79years, with a mean of 42years. The outlook regarding disease causation has changed considerably with time and advancements in science. The health extension workers also helped to select 96 participants for 10 focus group discussions and 20 individuals (two from each focus groups) were selected purposively for follow-up individual interviews based on their demonstrated knowledge and ability to describe their experiences in the focus groups. Coronado G, Chio-Lauri J, Cruz RD, Roman YM. Ottawa 1986: The Fulcrum of Global Health Development. The link between lying and ill health appears to be unique in this culture. The move towards a new public health police. 36 0 obj <> endobj There are 23 Kebeles (the smallest local administrative unit) administered by the Woreda, including 19 rural, 2 urban and 2 semi-urban towns. commun.). The discoveries of Pasteur and Koch confirmed the germ theory of disease. Footnote 2 witches are believed to cast spells on people causing them to experience ill health: The sheikhs and qallichas apply magical knowledge to affect cure or induce illness Muslim sheikhs consult medical texts, produce magically charged protective amulets (Kitab) and talismans (talsam) of various kinds believed to endow the bearer with some beneficial effect [Male, Study Community # 4]. Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Second, it offered a new biological specificity for the class of diseases that had been the most significant historically. Webs of Causation: Epidemiological concept. The sample consisted of 21 participants, 11 females aged 19-61 years (Median 44 years) and 10 males aged 22-65 years (Median 52 years). Their growth and reproduction within their hosts can cause disease. Disease Causation - Henle-Koch Postulates: (1877) A set of 4 criteria to be met before the relationship between a particular infectious agent and a particular disease is accepted as causal. 125"128. This finding, especially the link between lying and ill health may be relatively unique to this cultural setting. If you dont tell the truth, you and your family will fall ill. 2nd ed. As noted in other studies, effective primary care requires that all health care providers and policy makers take culture and traditional into account [20]. The respondents in the present study perceived that supernatural forces were the most important cause of ill health. The relevance of traditional medicinal cultures to modern primary health care. Triangulation of different data collection techniques including focus group, semi-structured interview data, observations and informal interviews with study participants was a strength of the study. He died from Parkinson's disease in 2014, aged 85. . According to the Tehuledere Woreda Information Office (TWIO), the Woreda covers an area of 45,800 ha with a population of 152,107. These two ideas were fully appreciated . He disproved the theory of spontaneous generation. A Descriptive and Phenomenological Exploration of the Spiritual Needs of Chinese Children Hospitalized with Cancer. Bull World Health Organ. The theory posited that diseases were the product of environmental factors such as contaminated water, foul air, and poor hygienic conditions. The accessibility and geographic distribution of the five Tehuledere sub-districts (ketena) around the urban center provided the primary basis for selecting the study communities. Int J Environ Res Public Health. After their migration from the southern part of Ethiopia, before embracing Islam as their religion, the people of the Tehuledere region continued to make use of their indigenous Cushitic beliefs and practices [7]. Too often, indigenous medicine is criticized as harmful traditions as if it was a threat to human health. They also articulated the role of natural causes and social relationships in maintaining good health. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 4th ed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All qualitative data from participant observations, in-depth interviews, fieldwork, personal memos and informal conversations were organized using NVivo 10 computer software. Members of the study community believes that supernatural, natural and social elements are linked to ill-health causation. The narratives of health among Tehuledere communities include three major themes that explained causes of ill-health: (i) supernatural (ii) natural elements or physical causes: (iii) social elements such as mistrust, social support/family dynamics as well as violation of taboos and moral injunctions. In 1890 Robert Koch proposed specific criteria that should be met before concluding that a disease was caused by a particular bacterium. The emphasis on culture in our genetic counseling training recognizes its crucial role in molding an individual's conceptualization of health, as well as other life aspects, especially since the Filipino culture is a mixture of indigenous as well as imported and borrowed elements. Almost all the focus group participants identified better food production as a contributor to health: We keep healthy when we produce enough food and have work to do. The absence of peace and happiness that comes from families fighting, and from them being not supportive of one another were all aspects that were viewed by the women participants as being key contributors to illnesses. However, the capacity to execute and give expanded resources to support the sustainable utilization of indigenous medicine and implement health strategies that take into account indigenous ill-health beliefs is constrained. Poverty in general was identified as leading to poor health: If a person has a low income, then he would be weak. Thegerm theory of diseaseis the currently acceptedscientific theoryfor manydiseases. Lidell C, Barrett L, Bydawell M. Indigenous representations of illness and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 1873, Pasteur advanced the germ theory of disease. In: StatPearls [Internet]. The use of open-ended questions, as well as informal conversations with informants on topics they themselves raised, were among the ways pursued to mitigate these challenges. For example, the qallicha For example, if a man cheats on his wife, this could cause illnesses: A person will be healthy when he settles at home, and is not cheating on his wife. . CAS In 2014, communicable diseases including malaria, lung infections, diarrheal, intestinal parasites, eye infections, skin disease, and rheumatism were the major public health problems in the area [15]. Ali A. Being healthy means alemelekef [not having a spell]. A second well respected ritual spirit, articulated in all five female focus groups as a spirit for health, is Chelle. Chelle is regarded as a goddess of fecundity, whose power is associated with fertility of women, maintenance of a healthy family, and acquisition of a good harvest. GERM THEORY Germ theory: Microbes (germs) were found to be the cause for many known diseases. Soc Sci Med. Social, economic and biological factors interact to drive a vicious cycle of poverty and disease from which, for many people, there is no escape." In short, poverty is instrumental in cultivating conditions that allow disease to spread. Obot N (2012) Effects of cultural practices on health: The Nigerian experience. PubMed Central Soc Sci Med. Letter to the Editor: "Orthopaedic and trauma care in low-resource settings: the burden and its challenges". The germ theory of disease came to the forefront, supplanting the earlier theories of disease causation. The sample was diverse in terms of age and sex and agro-ecological condition of the setting. Miasma was considered to be a poisonous vapor or mist filled with particles from decomposed matter (miasmata) that was identifiable by its foul smell. %PDF-1.6 % First Statement of Germ Theory. For the followers of indigenous faith, ones health status is not balanced without the nature-spirit connection. For example, Lidell and his colleagues (2005) described how Sub-Saharan peoples relationship with God takes a form of nature-spirit reverence and connection which is vital to maintaining family health [26]. Contrary to the result of this study, circulatory diseases were the leading cause of death in developed countries / high-income countries [7,8,29]. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.; 1968. In case you need help on any kind of academic writing visit website www.HelpWriting.net and place your order, Do not sell or share my personal information, 1. Article J Hum Lact. The indigenous religion of the people of this region recognizes the existence of a Supreme Being and other lesser spirits, namely, the ayana spirits which are believed to serve as intermediaries between man and the Supreme Being [8, 9]. Like all research, out study has both strengths and limitations. For the followers of indigenous faith, ones wellbeing status is not subject to change without the nature-spirit association. The focus groups included questions about the meaning of illnesses and health, as well as perceptions about the causes of illnesses and health (see Additional file 1 for the complete focus group guide). Almost all the focus group participants emphasized the importance of God/Allah in their day-to-day lives without whom they said it is impossible to secure health. 1983;17(16):120511. We will also share examples on how these common beliefs provide explanation as cause of illness and its implications in our genetic counseling profession. CAS Learning from strangers: the art and method of qualitative interview studies. If we see someone leave home at the wrong time, we say he is going to bring affliction [Male, Study Community # 4]. Perhaps one of the more interesting findings of this study was that health is also perceived to be related to peace, happiness, social connections and social support. Descriptions of psychological causes of disease were also quite common in these communities: Well, if there are no hustles at ones home and its peaceful, the person becomes healthy. Our study provides an excellent example of why health education and primary health care delivery interventions need to take into account what people actually do and the beliefs that drive their actions. Liu Q, Ho KY, Lam KK, Lam WY, Cheng EH, Ching SS, Wong FK. The common types of diseases in Nigeria are; Malaria Malaria is a risk for 97% of Nigeria's population. Gordis, L. (2014). Data were analyzed thematically using narrative strategies. Foster GM. Ogbogu PU, Noroski LM, Arcoleo K, Reese BD Jr, Apter AJ. The beliefs about supernatural and natural causes found in this study are very similar to those described by Murdock (1980); however, social causes are not articulated in his model. He would not be able to have enough food, this affects his healthWeve become subject to Ke ijje Wode Afe Nuro (hand-to-mouth livelihood) [Male, Study Community # 3]. Beliefs and perception of ill-health causation: a socio-cultural qualitative study in rural North-Eastern Ethiopia, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4052-y, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/. Bookshelf It states thatmicroorganismsknown aspathogensor germs can lead to disease. In our tradition people believe in qolle spirits (the spirit of individuals) is a guardian from illness and cause of illness. Sanders Thompson VL, Johnson-Jennings M, Baumann AA, Proctor E. Use of culturally focused theoretical frameworks for adapting diabetes prevention programs: a qualitative review. Bryman A. Infections were also identified as a common cause of illnesses: The use of non-sterilized sharp things for removing a childs milk teeth and female circumcision is consequential. It involves praising and glorifying the sky-god and seeking his spiritual assistance to ward off evil. It held that diseases such ascholera,chlamydia infection, or theBlack Deathwere caused by amiasma, a noxious form of bad air emanating from rotting organic matter. Ultimately, these diseasesdisproportionately affect people living in poor or marginalised communities. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The outlook regarding disease causation has changed considerably with time and advancements in science. Following introductory discussions with community leaders/representatives, ten focus group discussion sessions (one all male and one all-female in each kebele) were conducted. For example, if someone violated the trust of a significant other or another member of the community, they believed the consequence would be illnesses. Genetic counseling of the deaf. The results of this study were based on a sample of purposively selected participants who identified as individual from Tehuledere community. 2022 Oct 14;19(20):13217. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192013217. Altern Ther Health Med. 2022 Apr;13(2):183-191. doi: 10.1007/s12687-021-00543-2. When Western biomedical practitioners overlook, or scorn the supernatural convictions held by group individuals they risk distancing the very individuals they look to treat. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2001. WHO. [Female, Study Community # 2]. This . Free access to premium services like Tuneln, Mubi and more. 2022 Jun;46(6):1437-1438. doi: 10.1007/s00264-022-05395-0. When we drink it, we contract worms, they twirl in the stomach and give our kids tik, tik [Stomach- ache, salivate and followed by vomiting,] [Male, Study Community # 5]. Due to restrictions set by the Addis Ababa University, College of Health Science Institutional Review Board, data are available upon request by contacting the corresponding author. The study communities rejoiced in their culture of eating together and sharing with those in need. Galenhad written of the possibility of seeds of disease, a view which suggested a belief in the contagious nature of some diseases. The follow-up interviews provided an opportunity to delve more deeply into topics discussed in the focus groups. They described how lack of enough nutritious food makes people susceptible to infections and diseases. Wilson. Epub 2015 Feb 10. 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