当前位置： SCI文献检索 > MALARIA JOURNAL期刊下所有文献 > Two treatments, one disease: childhood malaria management in Tanga, Tanzania.

Two treatments, one disease: childhood malaria management in Tanga, Tanzania.

Abstract：

BACKGROUND:In the Tanga District of coastal Tanzania, malaria is one of the primary causes of mortality for children under the age of five. While some children are treated with malaria medications in biomedical facilities, as the World Health Organization recommends, others receive home-care or treatment from traditional healers. Recognition of malaria is difficult because symptoms can range from fever with uncomplicated malaria to convulsions with severe malaria. This study explores why caregivers in the Tanga District of Tanzania pursue particular courses of action to deal with malaria in their children. METHODS:Qualitative data were collected through interviews with three samples: female caregivers of children under five (N = 61), medical practitioners (N = 28), and traditional healers (N = 18) in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. The female caregiver sample is intentionally stratified to reflect the greater population of the Tanga District in level of education, marital status, gender of household head, religion, and tribal group affiliation. Qualitative data were counted, coded and analysed using NVivo7 software. RESULTS:Results indicate that a variety of factors influence treatment choice, including socio-cultural beliefs about malaria symptoms, associations with spiritual affliction requiring traditional healing, knowledge of malaria, and fear of certain anti-malaria treatment procedures. Most notably, some caregivers identified convulsions as a spiritual condition, unrelated to malaria. While nearly all caregivers reported attending biomedical facilities to treat children with fever (N = 60/61), many caregivers stated that convulsions are best treated by traditional healers (N = 26/61). Qualitative interviews with medical practitioners and traditional healers confirmed this belief. CONCLUSION:Results offer insight into current trends in malaria management and have implications in healthcare policy, educational campaigns, and the importance of integrating traditional and biomedical approaches.

journal_name

Malar J

journal_title

Malaria journal

authors

Foster D,Vilendrer S

doi

10.1186/1475-2875-8-240

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2009-10-27 00:00:00

pages

240

issn

1475-2875

pii

1475-2875-8-240

journal_volume

pub_type

杂志文章

在线工具

Two treatments, one disease: childhood malaria management in Tanga, Tanzania.