Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe
Background: Traditional Health System has been reported to be the most accessible, affordable, and acceptable in resource-poor settings, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is utilised for different health needs, including pregnancy management. This study sought to explore traditional and Nurses’...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Health Services Insights |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329211034462 |
| _version_ | 1819144099133915136 |
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| author | Nicholas Mudonhi Wilfred Njabulo Nunu |
| author_facet | Nicholas Mudonhi Wilfred Njabulo Nunu |
| author_sort | Nicholas Mudonhi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Traditional Health System has been reported to be the most accessible, affordable, and acceptable in resource-poor settings, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is utilised for different health needs, including pregnancy management. This study sought to explore traditional and Nurses’ perspectives on traditional medicine utilisation during antenatal care in Bulilima District, Plumtree, Zimbabwe. Methods: A qualitative survey was conducted on purposively selected nurses’ and snowballed traditional health practitioners who responded to unstructured interviews. Data were collected using a digital tape recorder, transcribed, and thematically analysed on Max Qualitative Data Analysis. Results: A total of 6 superordinate and 10 subordinate themes emerged from the collected and analysed data on both traditional practitioners and nurses. The superordinate themes associated with Traditional Medicine utilisation during pregnancy by women were: protective role, beliefs, shortening of labour, cleansing, accessibility, and collaboration between traditional practitioners and modern health practitioners. Nurses expressed their skepticism on the safety and efficacy of traditional medicine utilisation during pregnancy. Conclusion: Women utilise traditional medicines and remedies during pregnancy for different reasons, such as protection from evil spirits, foetus growth and shortening labour. There are concerns regarding their safety from the health service providers, although traditional practitioners share a different view. There is a need for investing in research that would ascertain the safety of these traditional medicines as this system has been a cheaper alternative for those who cannot afford or access modern health services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:36:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c425ec3dc9db42198c14e59588acc82e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-6329 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:36:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Services Insights |
| spelling | doaj.art-c425ec3dc9db42198c14e59588acc82e2022-12-21T18:25:33ZengSAGE PublishingHealth Services Insights1178-63292021-07-011410.1177/11786329211034462Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, ZimbabweNicholas Mudonhi0Wilfred Njabulo Nunu1Department of Environmental Science and Health, Faculty of Applied Sciences, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, ZimbabweScientific Agriculture and Environment Development Institute, Bulawayo, ZimbabweBackground: Traditional Health System has been reported to be the most accessible, affordable, and acceptable in resource-poor settings, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is utilised for different health needs, including pregnancy management. This study sought to explore traditional and Nurses’ perspectives on traditional medicine utilisation during antenatal care in Bulilima District, Plumtree, Zimbabwe. Methods: A qualitative survey was conducted on purposively selected nurses’ and snowballed traditional health practitioners who responded to unstructured interviews. Data were collected using a digital tape recorder, transcribed, and thematically analysed on Max Qualitative Data Analysis. Results: A total of 6 superordinate and 10 subordinate themes emerged from the collected and analysed data on both traditional practitioners and nurses. The superordinate themes associated with Traditional Medicine utilisation during pregnancy by women were: protective role, beliefs, shortening of labour, cleansing, accessibility, and collaboration between traditional practitioners and modern health practitioners. Nurses expressed their skepticism on the safety and efficacy of traditional medicine utilisation during pregnancy. Conclusion: Women utilise traditional medicines and remedies during pregnancy for different reasons, such as protection from evil spirits, foetus growth and shortening labour. There are concerns regarding their safety from the health service providers, although traditional practitioners share a different view. There is a need for investing in research that would ascertain the safety of these traditional medicines as this system has been a cheaper alternative for those who cannot afford or access modern health services.https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329211034462 |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas Mudonhi Wilfred Njabulo Nunu Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe Health Services Insights |
| title | Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Traditional Practitioners and Nurses’ Perspectives on Traditional Medicine Utilisation During Antenatal Care in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | traditional practitioners and nurses perspectives on traditional medicine utilisation during antenatal care in matabeleland south province zimbabwe |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329211034462 |
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