Utilization and Practice of Traditional/complementary/alternative Medicine (TM/CAM) in South Africa

Overview

Journal Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med

Specialty Rehabilitation Medicine

Date 2010 Mar 9

PMID 20209010

Citations 47

Authors

Karl Peltzer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of published and unpublished research investigating the prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TMCAM) use in the general population. Results found that use of a traditional and/or faith healer seemed to have decreased over the past 13 years (from a range of 3.6-12.7% to 0.1%). The prevalence of traditional male circumcision was found to be 24.8% generally and 31.9% among the African Black racial group. The range of use of alternative and complementary medicine was from 0% to 2.2%. Local utilization surveys of TMCAM for the last illness episode or in the past year showed a variation in use of 6.1% to 38.5%. The prevalence of conditions treated at different TMCAM out-patients settings ranged from chronic conditions, complex of supernatural or psychosocial problems, mental illness, chronic conditions, acute conditions, generalized pain, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. TM and probably CAM is used by substantial proportions of the general population, but differences in study design and methodological limitations make it difficult to compare prevalence estimates.

Citing Articles

anti-schistosomal activity of the methanol extracts from and .

Mbugi N, Maina G, Chacha M, Mbega E Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2024; 27:e00383.

PMID: 39445037 PMC: 11497427. DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2024.e00383.

Health information needs and feedback of users in the online TCM community.

Nie L, Xu J, Wang R PLoS One. 2024; 19(3):e0301536.

PMID: 38551944 PMC: 10980226. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301536.

A qualitative study of pharmacists' perceptions and awareness of homoeopathic medicines in Durban, South Africa.

Mavela N, Couchman I, Mgwaba T, Nxumalo C S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2024; 65(1):e1-e10.

PMID: 38197691 PMC: 10784278. DOI: 10.4102/safp.v65i1.5698.

"It doesn't exist, only other people have it, or it's bad luck": perceptions of HIV as barriers to its prevention in Bata.

Rodriguez-Reinado C, Blasco-Hernandez T, Abeso N, Benito-Llanes A BMC Public Health. 2023; 23(1):2347.

PMID: 38012625 PMC: 10683102. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17215-0.

Prevalence and reasons to seek traditional healing methods among residents of two localities in North Kordofan State, Sudan 2022: A cross-sectional study.

Ahmed G, Ahmed E, Ahmed A, Hemmeda L, Birier A, Abdelgadir T Health Sci Rep. 2023; 6(8):e1487.

PMID: 37621385 PMC: 10444970. DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1487.

References

Sorsdahl K, Stein D, Grimsrud A, Seedat S, Flisher A, Williams D . Traditional healers in the treatment of common mental disorders in South Africa. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2009; 197(6):434-41. PMC: 3233225. DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181a61dbc. View

Farrand D . Is a combined Western and traditional health service for black patients desirable?. S Afr Med J. 1984; 66(20):779-80. View

Peltzer K, Friend-Du Preez N, Ramlagan S, Fomundam H . Use of traditional complementary and alternative medicine for HIV patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. BMC Public Health. 2008; 8:255. PMC: 2503977. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-8-255. View

Wilkinson D, Wilkinson N . HIV infection among patients with sexually transmitted diseases in rural South Africa. Int J STD AIDS. 1999; 9(12):736-9. DOI: 10.1258/0956462981921486. View

Pronyk R, Makhubele M, Hargreaves J, Tollman S, Hausler H . Assessing health seeking behaviour among tuberculosis patients in rural South Africa. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2001; 5(7):619-27. View

Steyn M, Muller A . Traditional healers and cancer prevention. Curationis. 2002; 23(3):4-11. DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v23i3.675. View

Peltzer K . Perceived treatment efficacy of the last experienced illness episode in a community sample in the northern Province, South Africa. Curationis. 2001; 23(1):57-60. DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v23i1.599. View

Peltzer K, Khoza L, Lekhuleni M, Madu S, Cherian V, Cherian L . Concepts and treatment for diabetes among traditional and faith healers in the northern province, South Africa. Curationis. 2002; 24(2):42-7. DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v24i2.824. View

Babb D, Pemba L, Seatlanyane P, Charalambous S, Churchyard G, Grant A . Use of traditional medicine by HIV-infected individuals in South Africa in the era of antiretroviral therapy. Psychol Health Med. 2007; 12(3):314-20. DOI: 10.1080/13548500600621511. View

10.

Friend-Du Preez N, Cameron N, Griffiths P . Stuips, spuits and prophet ropes: the treatment of abantu childhood illnesses in urban South Africa. Soc Sci Med. 2008; 68(2):343-51. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.10.027. View

11.

Thorogood M, Connor M, Lewando-Hundt G, Tollman S, Ngoma B . Secondary prevention of stroke--results from the Southern Africa Stroke Prevention Initiative (SASPI) study. Bull World Health Organ. 2004; 82(7):503-8. PMC: 2622910. View

12.

Peltzer K, Mngqundaniso N . Patients consulting traditional health practioners in the context of HIV/AIDS in urban areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2010; 5(4):370-9. PMC: 2816585. View

13.

Shai-Mahoko S . Indigenous healers in the North West Province: a survey of their clinical activities in health care in the rural areas. Curationis. 1996; 19(4):31-4. DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v19i4.1333. View

14.

Malangu N . Self-reported use of traditional, complementary and over-the-counter medicines by HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy in Pretoria, South Africa. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2010; 4(3):273-8. PMC: 2816484. DOI: 10.4314/ajtcam.v4i3.31219. View

15.

Singh V, Raidoo D, Harries C . The prevalence, patterns of usage and people's attitude towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among the Indian community in Chatsworth, South Africa. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2004; 4:3. PMC: 356921. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-4-3. View

16.

Cocks M, Moller V . Use of indigenous and indigenised medicines to enhance personal well-being: a South African case study. Soc Sci Med. 2002; 54(3):387-97. DOI: 10.1016/s0277-9536(01)00037-5. View

17.

Harris P, Rees R . The prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use among the general population: a systematic review of the literature. Complement Ther Med. 2000; 8(2):88-96. DOI: 10.1054/ctim.2000.0353. View

18.

de Andrade V, Ross E . Beliefs and practices of Black South African traditional healers regarding hearing impairment. Int J Audiol. 2005; 44(9):489-99. DOI: 10.1080/14992020500188999. View

19.

Sloan D, Dedicoat M, Lalloo D . Healthcare-seeking behaviour and use of traditional healers after snakebite in Hlabisa sub-district, KwaZulu Natal. Trop Med Int Health. 2007; 12(11):1386-90. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01924.x. View

20.

Peltzer K, Phaswana-Mafuya N, Treger L . Use of traditional and complementary health practices in prenatal, delivery and postnatal care in the context of HIV transmission from mother to child (PMTCT) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2010; 6(2):155-62. PMC: 2816562. DOI: 10.4314/ajtcam.v6i2.57087. View