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Higton, Naomi, Emma Grace Lewis, Richard Walker, and Richard Lee. "24 Understanding and management of terminal illness within tanzanian traditional medicine." BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 8, no. 3 (September 2018): 368.3–369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-mariecurie.24.
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BackgroundPalliative care (PC) need in Africa is projected to rise by 300% over the next 20 years.1 Late presentation and poor community awareness of services are recognised challenges to effective healthcare delivery.2 3Traditional and faith healers (TFH) hold cultural importance and provide a significant proportion of primary healthcare in Africa.4 5 This project sought to explore their understanding and management of terminal illness with the aim of improving PC delivery through collaborations between TFH and allopathic services.MethodologyData were collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews with traditional healers (n=11) and faith healers (n=8) working within the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Participants were recruited through convenience and purposive sampling. Interviews were audio-recorded and translated transcripts analysed by thematic analysis.FindingsAll TFH had experience of terminally ill and dying patients. Participants had a holistic approach to healthcare with themes of biological psychological social and spiritual factors identified throughout conceptualisation and management of both terminal illness and death. This also informed opinions towards collaboration seeing healthcare professionals and TFH holding different roles within these areas.ConclusionsThe overlap with allopathic explanatory models of health (i.e. the BioPsychoSocial model) provides positive grounds for future collaborations. TFH could complement allopathic PC services through culturally acceptable spiritual care perceived to be lacking in hospitals. Joint dialogue and education between practitioners is necessary to begin collaboration. A significant challenge to this is mistrust between traditional healers and faith healers. The findings merit further research into patient’s preferences and experiences of TFHs in terminal illness.References. Grant L, Downing J, Namukwaya E. Palliative care in Africa since 2005: Good progress but much further to go. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care2011;1(2).. Harding R, et al. Current HIV/AIDS end-of-life care in sub-Saharan Africa: A survey of models services challenges and priorities. BMC Public Health2003;3(33).. Lewis EG, Oates LL, Rogathi J, Duinmaijer A, Shayo A, Megiroo S, Bakari B, Dewhurst F, Walker RW, Dewhurst M, Urasa S. ‘We never speak about death.’ Healthcare professionals’ views on palliative care for inpatients in Tanzania: A qualitative study. Palliat Support CareAugust 2017;22:1–14.. World Health Organisation. WHO: Traditional medicine strategy: 2014–2023 2013. Geneva: World Health Organisation Geneva.. Stanifer JW, et al. The determinants of traditional medicine use in Northern Tanzania: A mixed-methods study. PLoS One2015;10(4):e0122638.
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Nomfundo Mlisa, Lily Rose. "I am an igqirha (healer): phenomenological and experiential spiritual journey towards healing identity construction." Numen 22, no. 1 (February 11, 2020): 220–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.34019/2236-6296.2019.v22.29618.
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Traditional healers are acknowledged within their communities as possessing special insight, intuition knowledge and skills to connect and converse with the universe better than an ordinary person. African religions are endowed with a wide variety of traditional healers and healing practices, using diverse healing practices, symbolisms and interpretations relevant to the contextual setting of their cultures. Rooted in that diversified rich ecological heritage of the indigenous religions, are unique personal spiritual journeys that depict individual phenomenological and existential ways of constructing meaningful special spiritual healing identities. Healing identities are created and manifested in different socio-cultural, physical and spiritual abundant sacred spaces travelled by an initiate. This is an inborn gift from ancestors. The spiritual journey is abundantly infested by crisis and requires resilience, passion and faith. I give my personal phenomenological spiritual life journey in the traditional and spiritual quest for a holistically construed healing identity and proper individuation. The journey encompasses various stages with differentiated growth, maturity and competences to be acquired. The objective for this narrative is many fold. It is a response to various individual respondent experiences, questions and inquiries that I always receive from the conference audiences and unique feedback narratives from others who are either in the confusion stage or denial stage, yet they are aware they have a calling to accept. Ukuthwasa journey is briefly discussed and the historical ontology of ukuthwasa is mapped up. The discussion addresses the responses expected as evidence based results to confirm the reality of ukuthwasa and its value to the self, family and community at large. In conclude by highlighting, my own revelations and reflections on what could be done and how I finally achieved my healing identity and its relation to the universe at large.I am a fully-fledge trained igqirha, teacher, nurse and pastor. I practise as a Clinical psychologist and I have founded a prophesized church, a dream I had in 2001. I am also a founder of a community project for rural development at my village. All these achievements were shown to me by dreams and I followed my dreams under very challenging circumstances. I am from a family with a rich lineage of healers from both my paternal and maternal side, yet both became staunch Christian converts and ignored the cultural rites. To become a healer was not easy.
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Shaikh, Babar T., and Juanita Hatcher. "Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pakistan: Prospects and Limitations." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2, no. 2 (2005): 139–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ecam/neh088.
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Despite all the marvelous advancements in modern medicine, traditional medicine has always been practiced. More than 70% of the developing world's population still depends on the complementary and alternative systems of medicine (CAM). Cultural beliefs and practices often lead to self-care or home remedies in rural areas and consultation with traditional healers. Evidence-based CAM therapies have shown remarkable success in healing acute as well as chronic diseases. Alternative therapies have been utilized by people in Pakistan who have faith in spiritual healers, clergymen,hakeems, homeopaths or even many quacks. These are the first choice for problems such as infertility, epilepsy, psychosomatic troubles, depression and many other ailments. The traditional medicine sector has become an important source of health care, especially in rural and tribal areas of the country. The main reasons for consulting a CAM healer is the proximity, affordable fee, availability, family pressure and the strong opinion of the community. Pakistan has a very rich tradition in the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various ailments. It necessitates the integration of the modern and CAM systems in terms of evidence-based information sharing. The health-seeking behavior of the people especially in developing countries calls for bringing all CAM healers into the mainstream by providing them with proper training, facilities and back-up for referral. A positive interaction between the two systems has to be harnessed to work for the common goal of improving health of the people.
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Mutanana, Ngonidzashe. "Challenges Associated with Anti-epilepsy Medication and Use of Complementary or Alternative Medicines among People with Epilepsy in Rural Communities of Zimbabwe." Malaysian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 6, no. 2 (December 31, 2019): 77–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.18034/mjmbr.v6i2.475.
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The main objective of this study was to analyze challenges associated with anti-epilepsy medication and use of complementary or alternative medicines among people with epilepsy in rural communities of Zimbabwe. The study opted for qualitative research because it is culturally specific and data collected is contextually rich. The target population was people with epilepsy and caregivers of children with epilepsy and using a snowball sampling technique, a sample of 15 people with epilepsy and 5 caregivers of children with epilepsy was selected. The study purposively selected 2 traditional healers, 2 faith healers and 2 psychiatric nurses to have their insight on complementary and alternative medicines in the community and data was collected using face-to-face in-depth interviews. Findings revealed that anti-epilepsy medication is associated with a number of challenges in rural communities, chief among them that people with epilepsy are not informed about the side-effects of anti-epilepsy medication such as stomach upset, dizziness, blurred vision and sexual dysfunction. As a plateau to these anti-epilepsy medication side-effects, they make use of traditional and spiritual medicines either as complementary or alternative to anti-epilepsy medication. They are also facing challenges of Anti-Epilepsy Drugs shortages and long distances to health facilities and consequently, they opt for complementary or alternative medicines to sustain their livelihoods. The study recommends modern healthcare providers to supply people with epilepsy with adequate information on the side-effects of drugs. Healthcare providers must have enough information on complementary and alternative medicines. Traditional and faith healers must be accommodated in epilepsy treatment because of sociocultural aspects, and they too must be educated on the relevance of the modern healthcare system in epilepsy treatment. The study finally recommends a study on the multi-cultural approach of epilepsy management in Zimbabwe.
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Patel, V., T. Musara, T. Butau, P. Maramba, and S. Fuyane. "Concepts of mental illness and medical pluralism in Harare." Psychological Medicine 25, no. 3 (May 1995): 485–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700033407.
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SYNOPSISThe Focus Group Discussions (FGD) described in this paper are the first step of a study aiming to develop an ‘emic’ case-finding instrument. In keeping with the realities of primary care in Zimbabwe, nine FGD were held with 76 care providers including 30 village community workers, 22 traditional and faith healers (collectively referred to as traditional healers in this paper), 15 relatives of patients and 9 community psychiatric nurses. In addition to the general facets of concepts of mental illness, three ‘etic’ case vignettes were also presented.A change in behaviour or ability to care for oneself emerged as the central definition of mental illness. Both the head and the heart were regarded as playing an important role in the mediation of emotions. The types of mental illness described were intimately related to beliefs about spiritual causation. Angered ancestral spirits, evil spirits and witchcraft were seen as potent causes of mental illness. Families not only bore the burden of caring for the patient and all financial expenses involved, but were also ostracized and isolated. Both biomedical and traditional healers could help mentally ill persons by resolving different issues relating to the same illness episode. All case vignettes were recognized by the care providers in their communities though many felt that the descriptions did not reflect ‘illnesses’ but social problems and that accordingly, the treatment for these was social, rather than medical.The data enabled us to develop screening criteria for mental illness to be used by traditional healers and primary care nurses in the next stage of the study in which patients selected by these care providers on the grounds of suspicion of suffering from mental illness will be interviewed to elicit their explanatory models of illness and phenomenology.
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Odinka, Paul Chigozie, A. C. Ndukuba, R. C. Muomah, M. Oche, M. U. Osika, M. O. Bakare, A. O. Agomoh, and R. Uwakwe. "Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia as correlates of help-seeking behaviour and the duration of untreated psychosis in south-east Nigeria." South African Journal of Psychiatry 20, no. 4 (November 30, 2014): 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v20i4.536.
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<p><strong>Background.</strong> Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been widely recognised in recent years as a potentially important predictor of illness outcome, and the manifestations of schizophrenia have been known to influence its early recognition as a mental illness. </p><p><strong>Objective.</strong> To assess the association between the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, help-seeking and DUP. </p><p><strong>Methods.</strong> We performed a cross-sectional study of 360 patients with schizophrenia, who had had no previous contact with Western mental health services. The Sociodemographic Questionnaire, World Health Organization Pathway Encounter Form and a questionnaire to establish DUP were used. The positive and negative syndrome scale and Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used for the assessment of mental disorders and to diagnose.</p><p><strong>Results.</strong> Respondents who had predominant positive symptoms and who had a median DUP of 8 weeks or 24 weeks, tended to use psychiatric hospitals and other Western medical facilities, respectively, as their first treatment options. However, those who had predominant negative symptoms and who had a median DUP of 144 weeks or 310 weeks, tended to use faith healers and traditional healers, respectively, as first treatment options.</p><p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> The predominance of negative symptoms could militate against early presentation among people with schizophrenia, probably because negative symptoms are poorly recognised as indicating mental illness in Nigeria, as they could be interpreted as deviant behaviour or spiritual problems that would require spiritual solutions.</p>
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Isaichev, Sergei. "Superstitions and folk rites in the Samara, Saratov and Penza Governorates." Tambov University Review. Series: Humanities, no. 181 (2019): 185–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.20310/1810-0201-2019-24-181-185-191.
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Often in everyday life we have to deal with various signs and superstitions that are quite tenacious, despite their incompatibility with Orthodoxy. Superstitions usually refer to the stories of the water spirit, bogie, puck, mermaids, healers, sorcerers, etc., as well as various supernatural creatures and inexplicable phenomena. Various charms, amulets, nauzes, etc. can also be attributed to superstition, as all of the above is an attribute of witchcraft. These phenomena arose, most likely due to a lack of enlightenment, education and Orthodox culture. Superstitions come to life in the usual proverbs, sayings, signs. Many rituals and customs – weddings, christenings, funerals, and even Orthodox holidays intertwined with more ancient rituals. They cannot be destroyed, it is transferred from century to century by one generation to another down to every last detail. Therefore, folk paganism constantly attracts close attention of researchers, as well as all who would like to understand the spiritual origins of our culture today. The phenomenon of dual faith is one of the varieties of neo-paganism. We explore the superstitions and folk rites in the Samara, Saratov and Penza Governorates.
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Azaizeh, Hassan, Bashar Saad, Edwin Cooper, and Omar Said. "Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine, a Re-Emerging Health Aid." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 7, no. 4 (2010): 419–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nen039.
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Complementary medicine is a formal method of health care in most countries of the ancient world. It is expected to become more widely integrated into the modern medical system, including the medical curriculum. Despite the perception of modern medicine as more efficacious, traditional medicine continues to be practiced. More than 70% of the developing world's population still depends primarily on the complementary and alternative systems of medicine (CAM). In rural areas, cultural beliefs and practices often lead to self-care, home remedies or consultation with traditional healers. Herbal medicine can be broadly classified into four basic systems as follows: Traditional Chinese Herbalism, Ayurvedic Herbalism, Western Herbalism—which originally came from Greece and Rome to Europe and then spread to North and South America and Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM). There is no doubt that today the concept of Arabic traditional herbal medicine is a part of modern life in the Middle East, and it is acquiring worldwide respect, with growing interest among traditional herbalists and the scientific community. TAIM therapies have shown remarkable success in healing acute as well as chronic diseases and have been utilized by people in most countries of the Mediterranean who have faith in spiritual healers. TAIM is the first choice for many in dealing with ailments such as infertility, epilepsy, psychosomatic troubles and depression. In parallel, issues of efficacy and safety of complementary medicine have become increasingly important and supervision of the techniques and procedures used is required for commercial as well as traditional uses. More research is therefore needed to understand this type of medicine and ensure its safe usage. The present review will discuss the status of traditional Arab medicine (particularly herbal medicine), including the efficacy and toxicity of specific medicinal preparations, with an emphasis on the modernin vitroandin vivotechniques.
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Karczewska, Helena. "Wiara w życiu człowieka w ujęciu św. Hilarego z Poitiers." Vox Patrum 61 (January 5, 2014): 343–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.31743/vp.3630.
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According to Hilary, faith is a recognition of the divinity of Jesus and a proper understanding of the Trinity. As understood by him, faith is important above all in the fight against heresy and in the daily life of the people. He teaches that faith is not opposed to knowledge, although they differ from each other. Rational faith and spiritual education repel the attacks of heretics and pagans. Faith is a remedy against impious doctrine and it heals the inner darkness of the believer. For faith to lead to union with God it must be tempted, because temptation leads to self-discovery. Faith can be strengthened only in danger and suffering, and acts of faith lead the believer to salvation.
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Sewe, Catherine Akinyi, Dr Charles Oduke, Dr George Odhiambo, and Dr Hezekiah Obwoge. "The nexus between traditional African belief and pandemics: the manifestation of nyawawa spirits amidst the spread of corona virus in the Lake Victoria basin, Kisumu, Kenya." International Journal of Culture and Religious Studies 2, no. 1 (August 16, 2021): 79–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.47941/ijcrs.651.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between traditional African beliefs and the prevalence, manifestation, and management of the COVID-19 pandemic among the Luo of Kisumu, Kenya. COVID-19 has had an impact on practically all of the world's continents, including Africa, since its emergence in Wuhan, China in December 2019. As the number of cases and deaths reported internationally continues to rise, everyday real-time reporting of the COVID-19 epidemic has heightened terror and anxiety among the public. There is still a lot we don't know about this condition. Authorities and scientists still don't have all of the answers to the many issues that have been raised. Because medical therapies for COVID-19 are now restricted to supportive measures aimed at easing symptoms, as well as the utilization of research medications and therapeutics, it is believed that patients will easily turn to a greater power than themselves to find hope in an otherwise bleak situation. Spirituality and religious coping become a credible option for resolving the issues of COVID-19 in Africa because the influence of religion in crisis situations cannot be neglected in Africa. The soothing impact of religion in dealing with the COVID-19 situation, has been examined in this study among Luo clans in Kisumu, Kenya. The rich religious affiliation of the Luo community gives them an opportunity to explore a faith-centric response to the pandemic individually and collectively.
Methodology: This article used Pargament's theory of religious coping to examine the coronavirus pandemic and traditional African beliefs and practices. Because Nyawawa Spirits are linked to Lake Victoria, the region has been purposefully designated. Data was collected using descriptive survey approaches such as Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions. A convenient sample of 23 respondents was chosen and interviewed on purposively. Five elders from the Luo Council of Elderss, five religious leaders from African Spirituals churches, five traditional specialists - traditional healers, five elders over the age of 70, and three chiefs from three sublocations are among the 23. All of these respondents were chosen because they are considered to be custodians of Luo traditions and practices, and hence are relevant in providing the essential exposure to the study's topic.
Findings: Following a number of other expressions of traditional beliefs and behaviors demonstrated by many Kenyan groups throughout the pandemic, this study is valid. The findings demonstrate that, rather than attributing coronavirus occurrence solely to traditional beliefs and spirituality, the majority of respondents saw it as a public health risk that should be addressed with precautionary measures. They believe that the government's restriction on social gatherings, which has harmed religious ceremonies such as burial rites, is the proper thing to do and that it is not only directed against religious and ethnic groups. Most religious leaders, on the other hand, think that some religious rituals, such as the celebration of death through elaborate rites, provide individuals with "necessary" emotional and spiritual support. Even if they are sick with the coronavirus, respondents feel that the religious rites they do can heal them.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The research fits into a unique academic niche, emphasizing how African spirituality is frequently used as a religious coping mechanism for understanding and dealing with difficult life experiences that are linked to the sacred. As a terrible and highly unanticipated event, the COVID-19 crisis fits all of the criteria for generating religious coping mechanisms. While existing works in this thematic specialization, namely human response to pandemics, have frequently emphasized the effects of modern scientific and non-religious variables, the uniqueness of this work is its alternative perspective, which focuses on covert religious mechanisms used by some African societies in the face of pandemics such as COVID-19.
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Bertha, Csilla. "Crossing Borders in Irish Drama and Theatre. Art, Artist and Sacrifice." Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Philologica 10, no. 1 (October 1, 2018): 7–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/ausp-2018-0001.
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AbstractAmong the infinite variety of borders crossed in the theatre – social, national, cultural, gender, generic, aesthetic, existential, and many others – this essay focuses on self-reflexive border-crossings in Irish kunstlerdrama (artist-drama) and theatre. Spanning over eighty years, in selected plays from W. B. Yeats’s The King of the Great Clock Tower (1934), through Brian Friel’s Faith Healer (1979), Frank McGuinness’s The Bird Sanctuary (1994) and Marie Jones’s Stones in His Pockets (1999), to Enda Walsh’s Ballyturk (2014), a few forms of theatrical representation of transgressing and/or dissolving boundaries are explored while attempting to delienate which borders need to be respected, which contested, abolished, and then which to be transcended. Artist figures or artworks within drama, embodying the power to move or mediate between different realms of reality, including art and nature, stage and auditorium, life and death, reveal that sacrificial death proves crucial still in a non-sacrificial age, in enabling the artist and/or instigating spiritual fertility. In addition to his/her role, function, potential in affecting social and spiritual life, the representation of the artist necessarily reflects on theatre’s art seeking its own boundaries and opening itself to embrace the audience.
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Russell, Richard Rankin. "Deprovincializing Brian Friel's Drama in America, 2009 and 2014: Dancing at Lughnasa in Fort Myers, Florida, and Faith Healer in Houston, Texas." Irish University Review 45, no. 1 (May 2015): 103–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.3366/iur.2015.0154.
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While American regional theatre has flourished for decades, hardly any critics with a national profile pay attention to it, but theatre critic Terry Teachout has recently argued that criticism must catch up with this ‘deprovincialized’ drama, drawing upon his viewing of Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa in a memorable 2009 production by the Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers. I tentatively explore through that production of Lughnasa what implications its staging in a locale with a strong Hispanic concentration might have for American theatre and for its growing immigrant population as the United States becomes ever more divided, yet still idealizes plurality and immigration. I then assess the Stark Naked Theatre Company's stirring 2014 production of Faith Healer in Houston, Texas. Actors and local critics mostly neglected Irish aspects of the play – unlike their supposed more enlightened New York critics and audiences, who tend to read Irish drama through outmoded stereotypes – and instead privileged its spiritual qualities and its potential for showcasing theatre as an art form.
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Hidayat, Elvin Atmaja. "MEMANDANG MUKJIZAT PENYEMBUHAN DALAM TERANG IMAN." Studia Philosophica et Theologica 18, no. 1 (December 7, 2019): 52–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.35312/spet.v18i1.23.
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Since the beginning of its existence, Christianity has been often associated with “paranormal healing”. Jesus himself, with His disciples, often performed healing as a sign of the presence of the Kingdom of God in the world, even in person who was healed. The widespread interest and belief in miracles of physical and spiritual healing, in essence, does not degrade the noble dignity of the Christian faith. On the contrary, this increasingly popular phenomenon can help the Church maintain its existence and re-articulate its relevance for the faithful. More recently, the number of these “miracle healing” groups, both outside and within the Church, is increasingly widespread and likely to obscure faith. Because of this urgency, the Church should seek ways to investigate as deeply as possible the nature of this healing, especially in order to prevent people from being astray.
Sejak awal keberadaannya, agama Kristen sering dikaitkan dengan “penyembuhan paranormal”. Yesus sendiri, dengan murid-murid-Nya, sering melakukan penyembuhan sebagai tanda kehadiran Kerajaan Allah di dunia, banyak orang yang disembuhkan. Pada hakekatnya, kepentingan dan keyakinan yang meluas tentang mukjizat penyembuhan fisik dan spiritual, tidak menurunkan martabat mulia iman Kristen. Sebaliknya, fenomena yang semakin populer ini dapat membantu Gereja mempertahankan eksistensinya dan mengartikulasikan relevansinya bagi umat beriman. Baru-baru ini, banyak yang mengalami “mukjizat penyembuhan”, baik di luar maupun di dalam Gereja, semakin meluas dan cenderung mengaburkan iman. Atas situasi ini, Gereja harus mencari cara untuk menyelidiki lebih mendalam hakekat mukjizat penyembuhan , terutama untuk mencegah orang dari kesesatan.
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Carr, Tracey, Brian Chartier, and Tina Dadgostari. "“I’m not really healed … I’m just bandaged up”: Perceptions of healing among former students of Indian residential schools." International Journal of Indigenous Health 12, no. 1 (June 8, 2017): 39. http://dx.doi.org/10.18357/ijih121201716901.
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<p>Attempts at resolution between former students of Indian residential schools and the non-Aboriginal Canadian population began with the signing of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2006. The Settlement Agreement outlined provisions for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to document the stories of former students and for the Resolution Health Support Program to offer emotional and cultural support to former students and their families. Although former students have catalogued their stories through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process, experiences of healing from the events of Indian residential schools remain relatively unknown. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of healing among former Indian residential school students. In partnership with an Aboriginal support agency in a small Saskatchewan city, we interviewed 10 Aboriginal people affected by residential schools. The focus of the interviews was to generate participants’ conceptions and experiences of healing regarding their residential school experiences. We found all participants continued to experience physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual impacts of residential school attendance. Disclosure of their experiences was an important turning point for some participants. Their efforts to move on varied from attempting to “forget” about their experience to reconnecting with their culture and/or following their spiritual, religious, or faith practices. Participants also noted the profound intergenerational effects of residential schools and the need for communities to promote healing. The findings will be used to guide an assessment of the healing needs among this population in Saskatchewan.</p>
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Dodani, Sunita, Debra Sullivan, Sydney Pankey, and Catherine Champagne. "HEALS: A Faith-Based Hypertension Control and Prevention Program for African American Churches: Training of Church Leaders as Program Interventionists." International Journal of Hypertension 2011 (2011): 1–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/820101.
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Background. A 12-session church-based HEALS program (healthy eating and living spiritually) was developed for hypertension control and prevention program in African Americans (AAs). This study presents specifics of training lay health educators to effectively deliver HEALS to high-risk AAs.Methods. A one-day workshop was conducted by the research experts in an AA church. Five church members were recruited to be program interventionists called church health counselors (CHCs).Results. Using principles of adult education, a training protocol was developed with the intention of recognizing and supporting CHCs skills. CHCs received training on delivering HEALS program. The process of training emphasized action methods including role playing and hands-on experience with diet portion measurements.Conclusion. With adequate training, the community lay health educator can be an essential partner in a community-based hypertension control programs. This may motivate program participants more and encourages the individual to make the behavior modifications on a permanent basis.
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Sapkota, N., AK Pandey, BR Adhikari, PM Shyangwa, and R. Shakya. "Magico-Religious beliefs among primary care takers of manic patients." Journal of Psychiatrists' Association of Nepal 2, no. 1 (September 5, 2013): 7–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpan.v2i1.8568.
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Introduction: Mania is one of the commonest psychiatric disorders that require immediate interventions. There is a wide held belief that co-occurrence of mental disorders and underlying religious or spiritual problems is found. Local and community belief in such phenomena appeared to be a factor in influencing the decision to seek Magico-Religious treatment. The study was done with the objective to determine the attitudes of the primary care taker with respect to Magico-Religious beliefs which can have impact on treatment seeking behavior and timely consultation to the psychiatrist for underlying condition. Materials and Method: Consecutive fifty primary care takers who accompanied the patient and gave consent were included in the study. The supernatural Attitude questionnaire developed to study the magico religious beliefs was applied to the primary care taker. Both parametric and non parametric statistical tools were applied to analyze the variables. Results: About 48% believed that performing magico-religious rituals could improve the behavior of the patients and 76% of the primary caretakers visited faith healer for this purpose. Association between Magico-religious treatment group and non-magico-religious treatment group with different variables like Age, Sex, Religion, Socio-Economic Status, Education and Occupation, were compared, which shows that, all the variables were comparable and the P-value was not significant. Conclusion: There is a common belief among the primary care takers about the relationship between supernatural’s influences and mental illness. The study concluded that there exists no significant relationship between socio demographic characteristics of a primary care takers and traditional practices and beliefs and hence are independent of each other. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpan.v2i1.8568 J Psychiatrists’ Association of Nepal Vol .2, No.1, 2013 7-13
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Razali, Zul Azlin, and M. Faiz Tahir. "The Role of Psychiatrists and Muslim Faith Healers in Mental Health Issues." IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia 17, no. 1 (July 18, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v17i1.1037.
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Following the announcement of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2013, Muslim faith healers are slowly gaining grounds to make their practice mainstream. One of the major characteristics of Muslim faith healers is the strong inclination to attribute mental illnesses to Jinn possession (demonic possession). Unlike other traditional healers, Muslim faith healers’ primary mode of treatment is Ruqyah, an incantation or generally considered as ‘Du’a or prayers. This article is a sharing by a psychiatrist who has been actively engaging with faith healers in order to understand the world of faith healing including the attitude and knowledge of both the healers and clients while attempting to educate them on modern psychiatry based on bio-psycho-socio-spiritual paradigm. The methodology: 1) Involvement in symposium, seminar and focused group discussion, either as participant or as speaker. 2) Collaborating with local spiritual leader to conduct workshop on mental illness in mosques. 3) Writing articles in scientific and popular publications with and without faith healers as the collaborators. 4) Appearing in radio advocating and discussing about the dilemma of mental illness issue from the religious perspectives, and 5) Participate in workshop conducted by Muslim faith healers. As a result, several issues come to the author’s attention. The divisions of Muslim faith healers are rather complicated, for example Malay traditional healers or bomoh should not be categorized in the same group as Muslim faith healers. The oft-quoted ‘Islamic Medicine’ is problematic in view that it is laced with elements of local cultural value and practice which are not necessarily authentically Islamic. Since Malays make up the biggest community in Malaysia, one has to differentiate between Islam and Muslim. Majority of Muslims misunderstood the term Ruqyah as a form of healing exclusively done by the Muslim faith healers. In conclusion, psychiatrists should engage more proactively with faith and spiritual healers in order to curb stigmatization and delay in seeking psychiatric care and treatment.
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Razali, Zul Azlin, and M. Faiz Tahir. "The Role of Psychiatrists and Muslim Faith Healers in Mental Health Issues." IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia 17, no. 1 (July 18, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v17i1.1037.
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Following the announcement of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2013, Muslim faith healers are slowly gaining grounds to make their practice mainstream. One of the major characteristics of Muslim faith healers is the strong inclination to attribute mental illnesses to Jinn possession (demonic possession). Unlike other traditional healers, Muslim faith healers’ primary mode of treatment is Ruqyah, an incantation or generally considered as ‘Du’a or prayers. This article is a sharing by a psychiatrist who has been actively engaging with faith healers in order to understand the world of faith healing including the attitude and knowledge of both the healers and clients while attempting to educate them on modern psychiatry based on bio-psycho-socio-spiritual paradigm. The methodology: 1) Involvement in symposium, seminar and focused group discussion, either as participant or as speaker. 2) Collaborating with local spiritual leader to conduct workshop on mental illness in mosques. 3) Writing articles in scientific and popular publications with and without faith healers as the collaborators. 4) Appearing in radio advocating and discussing about the dilemma of mental illness issue from the religious perspectives, and 5) Participate in workshop conducted by Muslim faith healers. As a result, several issues come to the author’s attention. The divisions of Muslim faith healers are rather complicated, for example Malay traditional healers or bomoh should not be categorized in the same group as Muslim faith healers. The oft-quoted ‘Islamic Medicine’ is problematic in view that it is laced with elements of local cultural value and practice which are not necessarily authentically Islamic. Since Malays make up the biggest community in Malaysia, one has to differentiate between Islam and Muslim. Majority of Muslims misunderstood the term Ruqyah as a form of healing exclusively done by the Muslim faith healers. In conclusion, psychiatrists should engage more proactively with faith and spiritual healers in order to curb stigmatization and delay in seeking psychiatric care and treatment.
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Lambert, Jessica E., Fred Nantogmah, Adam Yahaya Dokurugu, Hanan Alhassan, Sandow Stanislaus Azuure, Peter Badimak Yaro, and Jeanette Kørner. "The treatment of mental illness in faith-based and traditional healing centres in Ghana: perspectives of service users and healers." Global Mental Health 7 (2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2020.21.
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Abstract Background The maltreatment of people with mental illness in Ghana's traditional and faith-based healing centres, including shackling, flogging, and forced fasting, has been documented by numerous sources. Such treatment is potentially traumatising and may exacerbate mental health problems. Despite widespread use, few studies have focused on experiences and characteristics of people who seek traditional healing for mental illness or healers' perspectives treatment of these conditions. Method Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 82 individuals who were treated in healing centres and 40 traditional healers; all took part in semi-structured interviews. Those treated were asked about experiences in centres and assessed for prior trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, and functional impairment. Healers were asked about beliefs and practices related to the treatment of mental illness. Results Individuals treated in centres and healers generally believed that mental illness has a spiritual cause. Approximately 30.5% of those treated in centres were exposed to maltreatment; despite this, half would return. Individuals with a history of trauma were more likely to report maltreatment in the centre and had higher symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Most participants had impaired functioning. Healers who used practices like shackling believed they were necessary. Most healers were willing to collaborate with the official health structure. Conclusion Results provide insight into the treatment of mental illness by traditional healers in Ghana and the need for trauma-informed mental health services. Findings also highlight the importance of considering cultural beliefs when attempting to implement mental health interventions in the region.
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Wan Muhammad, Ramizah. "Towards a Shariah Compliance Model for Healthcare Centres with reference to Spiritual Healers: Issues and Challenges." IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia 17, no. 1 (July 18, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v17i1.1039.
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Generally, a good healthcare centre comprises of qualified manpower, right policies and right procedures in providing primary care, secondary care and tertiary care for the patients as well as in public health. Other than manpower, healthcare centres must also look at social, religious and cultural factors affecting the recipients of the healthcare services given by the healthcare centres. In this paper, the author will look at some pertinent issues such as the need to have spiritual healers in any healthcare centre to help the patients in dealing with fatal illness. The spiritual healer is to help the patient and give him motivation so that he could have a positive mind throughout his journey in battling with his illness. Sometimes we have patients who refused to listen to the doctor's advice. Thus, the role of the spiritual healer would be important in assisting the healthcare centres and its management to convince him. Another issue is the privacy, respect and trust between patients and doctors as well as with the management of the healthcare centres. One of the duties of the healthcare centres’ management and doctors is, to respect the patient's religion and his faith. These three issues are amongst the important issues which every healthcare centre must look upon. Definitely there are a lot of challenges in addressing the above mentioned issues such as the procedures, methods on how to execute these issues and most importantly the perception of the public. In Islam, health care is one of the five important elements in which the Prophet SAW has mentioned in one hadith to be taken care of. A study has shown that a nation-building efforts has no meaningwithout the best public health and healthcare delivery system to the people.
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Wan Muhammad, Ramizah. "Towards a Shariah Compliance Model for Healthcare Centres with reference to Spiritual Healers: Issues and Challenges." IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia 17, no. 1 (July 18, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v17i1.1039.
Full textAbstract:
Generally, a good healthcare centre comprises of qualified manpower, right policies and right procedures in providing primary care, secondary care and tertiary care for the patients as well as in public health. Other than manpower, healthcare centres must also look at social, religious and cultural factors affecting the recipients of the healthcare services given by the healthcare centres. In this paper, the author will look at some pertinent issues such as the need to have spiritual healers in any healthcare centre to help the patients in dealing with fatal illness. The spiritual healer is to help the patient and give him motivation so that he could have a positive mind throughout his journey in battling with his illness. Sometimes we have patients who refused to listen to the doctor's advice. Thus, the role of the spiritual healer would be important in assisting the healthcare centres and its management to convince him. Another issue is the privacy, respect and trust between patients and doctors as well as with the management of the healthcare centres. One of the duties of the healthcare centres’ management and doctors is, to respect the patient's religion and his faith. These three issues are amongst the important issues which every healthcare centre must look upon. Definitely there are a lot of challenges in addressing the above mentioned issues such as the procedures, methods on how to execute these issues and most importantly the perception of the public. In Islam, health care is one of the five important elements in which the Prophet SAW has mentioned in one hadith to be taken care of. A study has shown that a nation-building efforts has no meaningwithout the best public health and healthcare delivery system to the people.
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Verity, F., A. Turiho, B. B. Mutamba, and D. Cappo. "Family care for persons with severe mental illness: experiences and perspectives of caregivers in Uganda." International Journal of Mental Health Systems 15, no. 1 (May 20, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13033-021-00470-2.
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Abstract Background In low-income settings with limited social protection supports, by necessity, families are a key resource for care and support. Paradoxically, the quality of family care for people living with Severe Mental Illness (PLSMI) has been linked to support for recovery, hospital overstay and preventable hospital readmissions. This study explored the care experiences of family members of PLSMI with patients at the national mental hospital in Kampala, Uganda, a low income country. This study was undertaken to inform the development of YouBelongHome (YBH), a community mental health intervention implemented by YouBelong Uganda (YBU), a registered NGO in Uganda. Methods Qualitative data was analysed from 10 focus groups with carers of ready to discharge patients on convalescent wards in Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital (BNRMH), Kampala. This is a subset of data from a mixed methods baseline study for YouBelong Uganda, undertaken in 2017 to explore hospital readmissions and community supports for PLSMI from the Wakiso and Kampala districts, Uganda. Results Three interrelated themes emerge in the qualitative analysis: a range of direct, practical care provided by the caregiver of the PLSMI, emotional family dynamics, and the social and cultural context of care. The family care giving role is multidimensional, challenging, and changing. It includes protection of the PLSMI from harm and abuse, in the context of stigma and discrimination, and challenging behaviours that may result from poor access to and use of evidence-based medicines. There is reliance on traditional healers and faith healers reflecting alternative belief systems and health seeking behaviour rather than medicalised care. Transport to attend health facilities impedes access to help outside the family care system. Underpinning these experiences is the impact of low economic resources. Conclusions Family support can be a key resource and an active agent in mental health recovery for PLSMI in Uganda. Implementing practical family-oriented mental health interventions necessitates a culturally aware practice. This should be based in understandings of dynamic family relationships, cultural understanding of severe mental illness that places it in a spiritual context, different family forms, caregiving practices and challenges as well as community attitudes. In the Ugandan context, limited (mental) health system infrastructure and access to medications and service access impediments, such as economic and transport barriers, accentuate these complexities.
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Maneno, Dr Robert J. "A Blend of Western and African Psychotherapy." International Journal of Psychotherapy, Counselling and Psychiatry: Theory Research & Clinical Practice 3 (April 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.35996/1234/3/westernafrican.
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Pritz (2002) defined psychotherapy as a systematic application of defined methods in the treatment of psychic suffering and psychosomatic complaints as well as life crises of various origins. Madu (2015), also defined psychotherapy as a process that enables people to express their feelings in a protected environment, to a person trained to listen with understanding and compassion. In the African context, psychotherapy is a culture-based treatment, which starts with the recognition that culture is highly relevant to people’s everyday behaviour (Grills, 2006). It includes social context, history, ethnicity and other issues that the client deems relevant. African Psychotherapy is therefore a holistic approach that encompasses the cultural, social, spiritual, psychological, and economic aspects of life. An estimate of 80% of Africans, seek traditional therapy and hence, the existence of both Western and African Psychotherapy, has posed a state of dilemma among the modern African psychotherapists as well as among the clients. The central argument of this paper is to look at how the Western and African Psychotherapies influence one another for the benefit of the black African. This paper is a systematic literature review on psychotherapeutic processes of African traditional and religious faith healers, the current western focused psychotherapy practices in Africa. The authors also used their own knowledge on the Africa Psychotherapy from both the Digo and the Kamba communities in writing this paper. The researchers hereby recommend a blended psychotherapy form, where the western, the traditional African, and the religious psychotherapeutic values are blended for the benefit of modern African clients.
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Ezika, Ejiofor Augustine. "Medicosocial Study on the Influence of Indigenous Knowledge on Perception of Disease Status: Using a Cardiovascular Disease as a Model." Journal of Health Science and Medical Research, May 1, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.31584/jhsmr.2020737.
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Objective: Cultural beliefs may shape understanding of disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in prevalence in urban Nigerian communities; hence, the aim of this research is to explore spiritual views in this context. Material and Methods: This study employed convenience sampling to recruit 50 participants via word of mouth, posters, handbills and community networks. The author drew from his indigenous knowledge to design tools in collaboration with stakeholders, including the community members, faith leaders and leaders in community healthcare practice; to investigate and explore the views of an urban community members in Nigeria on their indigenous beliefs about factors that contribute to CVD. Results: The views that emerged in exploring perceived spiritual factors that contribute to CVD were organised into two preceptions, namely: spiritual inflicted diseases influenced by humans and spiritual inflicted diseases influenced by non-humans. The perceived spiritually inflicted diseases influenced by humans are through witchery and sorcery. The perceived spiritual inflicted diseases influenced by non-humans are through Satan, deities, and God. Spiritually inflicted diseases are perceived to be transmitted through pets, such as domestic cats, birds like owls, bats and objects. Perceived spiritually inflicted diseases can only be healed through spiritual means. Conclusion: In a well-educated, ethnically diverse urban setting the view that spiritual factors have an impact on health and disease is prevalent. Since this may have an impact on healthcare choices, it should be accommodated for in public health planning, and further explored through community-based participatory research.
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Dodani, Sunita, Sahel Arora, Claudia Sealey-Potts, catherine Christie, Petra Aldridge, and Dale Kraemer. "Abstract 615: Healthy Eating And Living Spiritually (HEALS): An Efficacious model for Hypertension Control in American African churches." Hypertension 64, suppl_1 (September 2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/hyp.64.suppl_1.615.
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Background: African Americans (AAs) living in the “Stroke Belt” region are at elevated risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including stroke. Our long-term goal is to eliminate this ethnic/regional health disparity by targeting a major modifiable risk factor for stroke, hypertension (HTN). Besides medications, lifestyle interventions are effective in lowering blood pressure (BP), and the “DASH diet has been shown to lower BP, however, in the PREMIER program, DASH with lifestyle modifications was less effective in AAs with regards to BP reduction. We hereby present a PREMIER modified, faith-based, socio-culturally tailored, multi-level HTN control behavioral intervention called HEALS adopted by AA churches. The objective is to determine the efficacy of HEALS on BP and other related outcomes. Methods: Based on Community advisory board (CAB) recommendations, a church selected from a pool of 26 participating churches. Trained church leaders enrolled eligible participants and delivered weekly HEALS sessions for 12 weeks. Target population included church members 25-75 years, with known or newly diagnosed HTN/pre-HTN as per JNC-7 classification. Information was obtained on BP, weight, waist circumference, diets and physical activity. Results: A total of 36 eligible church members were recruited, 32 provided data that was used in this analysis n=32 (89% retention). At baseline, 28 members were known HTN and remaining were newly diagnosed (22%). After the completion of the 12 weeks intervention, the mean reduction in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were 6.72mmHg (p=.0425) and 4 mmHg (p=.0073), respectively. A weight reduction of 1.7 Kg was also significant (p=0.0023). Similarly, diet changes were significant and showed that more than half consumed dark green or other vegetables frequently, while 75% consumed at least one fruit daily or weekly. Lower percentages (44%) reported consumption of 100% fruit juices or cooked beans regularly. Study is currently in its 6-month maintenance phase. Conclusion: Under controlled settings, community-based interventions can be successful in producing desirable outcomes and in maintaining high retention rates. HEALS intervention can be used as a model of efficacious program in church settings.
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Dodani, Sunita, Sahel Arora, Collisa Mahin, and Ryan Butterfield. "Abstract 522: HEALS Program Implementation in African American Churches for Hypertension Control and Prevention." Hypertension 62, suppl_1 (September 2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/hyp.62.suppl_1.a522.
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African Americans (AAs) living in the “Stroke Belt” (Southeastern US including northern Florida) are at elevated risk for stroke. Our long-term goal is to eliminate this ethnic/regional health disparities by targeting a major modifiable risk factor for stroke, hypertension (HTN). Here we present the results of HEALS (Healthy Eating And Living Spiritually)- a faith-based, socio-culturally tailored HTN control intervention modified from PREMIER and DASH programs for AA churches. Methods: 4 church members were trained as program leaders who delivered the 3-months intervention followed by 9 months booster sessions. AA Church members of 25-75 yrs of age with known or newly diagnosed HTN (including pre-HTN as per JNC-VII) were recruited, who received HEALS program. Results: AAs with known (84%) or newly diagnosed HTN (16%) joined the program. Majority (80%) were on anti-HTN drugs. At the baseline, only three (8%) had HTN controlled (>120/80 mm Hg), 13 (35%) had pre-HTN levels, 15 (40.5%) were stage 1 and 6 (16%) in Stage 2. After receiving 12 wks HEALS sessions, mean reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were -13.64 mm Hg (p =0.005) and -6.12 mm Hg (p=0.01) respectively. The study is currently in maintenance phase. Conclusion: If successful, the findings from this study will provide much-needed information on the translation and sustainability of evidence-based lifestyle modification in HTN members in community-based settings, particularly within churches, which represent the most influential institution in the community lives of AA
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Pillay, Dhanashree, and Sharon Moonsamy. "A pilot study: Considering spirituality in an inclusive model of practice in clinical audiology." South African Journal of Communication Disorders 65, no. 1 (June 21, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v65i1.552.
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Background: A patient-orientated approach in medical clinical practice is emerging where patients and practitioners are considering and including the spiritual, emotional and psychosocial aspects of the individual. This practice is an important change in health care, specifically in the field of audiology as a holistic view of the patient now alters the perspective on the management of individuals with hearing impairments. Objectives: This article explored the experiences of a participant who reported supernatural healing of his sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Hence, this study focuses on the consideration of spirituality in the inclusive model of care. Method: An exploratory, qualitative narrative inquiry was used to obtain data from a single pilot case study of a 27-year-old man who reported healing of his permanent profound hearing loss. Results: Four themes were identified within the narrative obtained: prayer and faith, deaf culture, identity and purpose. The participant stated that he believed that he was partially healed to fulfil his purpose in life. The partial healing allowed him to belong to the deaf community and the hearing world simultaneously. Conclusion: South Africans live in a diverse society where most people accept spirituality as part of their search for meaning in life. Health care for individuals should therefore consider the person as a holistic being more than a medical entity. The exploration of narratives of individuals who report supernatural healing of a SNHL will assist health care practitioners and audiologists in managing individuals in an inclusive manner. This pilot study thus has implications for policy and practice in health care contexts.
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Ellens, J. Harold. "That tough guy from Nazareth: A psychological assessment of Jesus." HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 70, no. 1 (February 20, 2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v70i1.2059.
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Christmas gives us that ’sweet little Jesus Boy’ and Lent follows that with the ‘gentle Jesus, meek and mild.’ He was neither of those. In point of fact, he was the ‘tough guy from Nazareth.’ He was consistently abrasive, if not abusive, to his mother (Lk 2:49; Jn 2:4; Mt 12:48) and aggressively hard on males, particularly those in authority. In Mark 8 he cursed and damned Peter for failing to get Jesus’ esoteric definition of Messiah correct. Nobody else understood it either. Jesus had made it up himself and not adequately explained it to anybody until then. He called the religious authorities snakes, corrupt tombs, filthy chinaware, fakes, and Mosaic legalists who had forgotten God’s real revelation of universal grace and salvation in the Abraham Covenant. He tore up the temple in the middle of a worship service and cursed those present for turning God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves, when actually they were kind, helping out-of-town tourists obtain the proper sacrifices for the liturgical rituals. Jesus was persistently aggressive, often angry and not infrequently irrational, killing an innocent fig tree with his curse, for example. He constantly attacked the Pharisees and their proposals for renewing the spiritual vitality of the Jewish Community. He abused numerous people by healing them on the Sabbath just to make his political point against the religious leaders. He could just as well have healed them on Tuesday, if he really wanted to heal them. By healing the blind man in John 9 on the Sabbath, for example, he caused the man to be driven out of his synagogue, his family, and his community of faith; isolated and abandoned as if he were a leper. Even when he said surprising things about children, his focus was not on the children but on his disciples, using the children as tools for making an assertive teaching point. Jesus’ life was one of perpetually aggressive claims for his vision of God’s reign. He constantly and intentionally provoked conflict and disruption of the status quo, spiritually and politically. He refused to negotiate, compromise, palliate, or mollify his insistence upon keeping his elbow perpetually in the eye of the people in power. In all this he would not back down. The principle by which Jesus operated was absolute and that is why he did not back down, even though they killed him for this very reason. His principle was simply that the renewal of Jewish spirituality could only come from a return to the Abrahamic Covenant, which declared (Gn 12; Rm 8) that God is gracious and universally forgiving towards all humankind, unconditional to our conduct and behaviour, and radically in that it removes all fear, guilt, and shame from the equation of our relationship with God (Mi 7:18–20). He saw that the Pharisees and Scribes were absolutely wrong in assuming that the Mosaic legal system would renew the Jewish relationship with God. He was not the gentle Jesus, meek and mild. He was that tough guy from Nazareth! He had good reason and he was willing to go the distance for what he stood for, even to death on the cross.