Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients
Background: The indigenous health care system continues in the postcolonial era to be perceived by antagonists as a threat to Western medicine. It has been associated with ‘witchcraft’, actively discouraged and repressed through official government prohibition laws. Despite that, human immunodeficie...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2018-05-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/1518 |
| _version_ | 1818343350069100544 |
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| author | Simon M. Nemutandani Stephen J. Hendricks Mavis F. Mulaudzi |
| author_facet | Simon M. Nemutandani Stephen J. Hendricks Mavis F. Mulaudzi |
| author_sort | Simon M. Nemutandani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The indigenous health care system continues in the postcolonial era to be perceived by antagonists as a threat to Western medicine. It has been associated with ‘witchcraft’, actively discouraged and repressed through official government prohibition laws. Despite that, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(HIV and AIDS) patients consult both allopathic and indigenous health practitioners.
Aim: The study explored a collaboration model between allopathic and traditional health practitioners in the management of patients living with HIV and AIDS in postcolonial South Africa.
Setting: We conducted six combined focus group discussions and four separate group discussions with each category of co-researchers.
Methods: Combined and separate focus group discussions were conducted with community members, allopathic and indigenous health practitioners, applying the cyclical method in the decolonisation process. Their perceptions and experiences in the management of HIV and AIDS patients were explored, and finally decolonisation strategies suitable for collaboration in their context were identified.
Results: The two health systems were rendering services to the same HIV and AIDS communities.Lack of communication created confusion. Collaboration was long overdue. A change in mindsets, attitudes and practices among practitioners was critical, with an acknowledgement
that ‘neither health system is better than the other, but the two should be complementary, recognising that the culture and beliefs of patients influence their health-seeking behaviour’.
Conclusion: Co-researchers were committed to working together in the fight against HIV and AIDS infections. Their model for collaboration addresses the challenges of patients’ secrecy, treatment overdose and the abandonment of antiretroviral treatment. Through the application of a decolonisation process, their mindsets, attitudes and practices towards each other were changed, enabling the joint development of a custom model for collaboration between allopathic health practitioners and indigenous health practitioners in the management of patients living with HIV and AIDS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:29:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e2a17036c70f47bcb85110b9f1184c24 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2071-2928 2071-2936 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:29:11Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-e2a17036c70f47bcb85110b9f1184c242022-12-21T23:38:33ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362018-05-01101e1e810.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1518538Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patientsSimon M. Nemutandani0Stephen J. Hendricks1Mavis F. Mulaudzi2School of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the WitwatersrandAlbertina Sisulu Executive Leadership Programme in Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of PretoriaSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of PretoriaBackground: The indigenous health care system continues in the postcolonial era to be perceived by antagonists as a threat to Western medicine. It has been associated with ‘witchcraft’, actively discouraged and repressed through official government prohibition laws. Despite that, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV and AIDS) patients consult both allopathic and indigenous health practitioners. Aim: The study explored a collaboration model between allopathic and traditional health practitioners in the management of patients living with HIV and AIDS in postcolonial South Africa. Setting: We conducted six combined focus group discussions and four separate group discussions with each category of co-researchers. Methods: Combined and separate focus group discussions were conducted with community members, allopathic and indigenous health practitioners, applying the cyclical method in the decolonisation process. Their perceptions and experiences in the management of HIV and AIDS patients were explored, and finally decolonisation strategies suitable for collaboration in their context were identified. Results: The two health systems were rendering services to the same HIV and AIDS communities.Lack of communication created confusion. Collaboration was long overdue. A change in mindsets, attitudes and practices among practitioners was critical, with an acknowledgement that ‘neither health system is better than the other, but the two should be complementary, recognising that the culture and beliefs of patients influence their health-seeking behaviour’. Conclusion: Co-researchers were committed to working together in the fight against HIV and AIDS infections. Their model for collaboration addresses the challenges of patients’ secrecy, treatment overdose and the abandonment of antiretroviral treatment. Through the application of a decolonisation process, their mindsets, attitudes and practices towards each other were changed, enabling the joint development of a custom model for collaboration between allopathic health practitioners and indigenous health practitioners in the management of patients living with HIV and AIDS.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/1518decolonization of mindindigenous health systemallopathic health systemcollaboration modelHIV/AIDS management |
| spellingShingle | Simon M. Nemutandani Stephen J. Hendricks Mavis F. Mulaudzi Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine decolonization of mind indigenous health system allopathic health system collaboration model HIV/AIDS management |
| title | Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients |
| title_full | Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients |
| title_fullStr | Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients |
| title_short | Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients |
| title_sort | decolonising the mindsets attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society an exploratory approach in the management of patients |
| topic | decolonization of mind indigenous health system allopathic health system collaboration model HIV/AIDS management |
| url | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/1518 |
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