A quantitative evaluation of traditional health practitioners’ perspectives on mental disorders in KwaZulu-Natal: knowledge, diagnosis, and treatment practices

Traditional healing practices are prominent in recent studies. Particularly, there is focused attention on holistic healing in treatment interventions for various illnesses, including mental disorders. This paper quantitatively evaluates the perspectives of traditional health practitioners (THPs) re...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ngubane, Ntombifuthi Princess (Author) ; De Gama, Brenda Zola (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge 2024
In: Journal of spirituality in mental health
Year: 2024, Volume: 26, Issue: 3, Pages: 181–201
RelBib Classification:AG Religious life; material religion
KBN Sub-Saharan Africa
ZD Psychology
Further subjects:B Traditional healing
B Mental Illness
B Schizophrenia
B Mental Health
B Traditional Healers
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Traditional healing practices are prominent in recent studies. Particularly, there is focused attention on holistic healing in treatment interventions for various illnesses, including mental disorders. This paper quantitatively evaluates the perspectives of traditional health practitioners (THPs) regarding their knowledge, diagnosis, and treatment practices of mental disorders, especially schizophrenia. Special attention was paid to symptoms of schizophrenia as they seem to overlap with the symptoms of bewitchment and an ancestral calling. Self-developed questionnaires were administered to 100 THPs from Harry Gwala District, KwaZulu-Natal. Black, middle-aged female THPs classified as diviners were prevalent. They reflected knowledge of mental disorders and played a role in their diagnosis and treatment. Medicinal concoction was the commonly prescribed treatment option.
ISSN:1934-9645
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of spirituality in mental health
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/19349637.2023.2194561