Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi
Background: The prevalence of use of traditional medicines by patients receiving palliative care is poorly documented. In 2002, the World Health Organisation estimated about 4 billion people (80% of the world’s population) used traditional medicines for some aspect of primary healthcare, with 90% of...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
2020
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613184814219264 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Chisaka, Joseph Wangisani |
| author2 | Krause, Stephanie |
| author_browse | Chisaka, Joseph Wangisani Krause, Stephanie |
| author_facet | Krause, Stephanie Chisaka, Joseph Wangisani |
| author_sort | Chisaka, Joseph Wangisani |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Background: The prevalence of use of traditional medicines by patients receiving palliative care is poorly documented. In 2002, the World Health Organisation estimated about 4 billion people (80% of the world’s population) used traditional medicines for some aspect of primary healthcare, with 90% of users living in low and middle income countries. Studies in Africa have shown that patients on palliative care are more likely to use traditional medicines especially after the diagnosis of cancer. This study describes the prevalence of and reasons for TM use amongst PC patients and also explores the common herbs used by this population. Methodology: A mixed method descriptive cross sectional study design was used including the following: questionnaire administered to patients attending palliative care clinic and focus group discussions with palliative care patients. Results: 60.4% of palliative care patients (n = 96; males = 53%) reported use of traditional herbal medicines. The majority of survey participants had the diagnosis of cancer (94%; n = 90) and HIV (89%; n = 85). Traditional herbal medicine use was common in participants who had the following symptoms: diarrhoea 83%, anorexia 63%, pain 61% etc. Traditional medicine use was not associated with age, gender, education, occupation, distance from hospital, diagnosis or symptom. 62% of the participants who used herbal medicines did not know the herbs they were taking. Kigelia Africana, Moringa oleifera, Cyphostema sp, and Strychnos innocua were the common herbs used. Cultural practices, limitations of conventional health system and credibility of traditional healers were the main reasons for using traditional herbal medicines. Conclusion: Use of traditional herbal medicines is high among patients receiving palliative care at Mulanje Mission hospital mainly for symptom management and cancer. Further research is needed to investigate effectiveness of identified herbs and also assess their potential herb-drug interactions. Ongoing work including liaison with traditional healers would assist to formulate effective local palliative care management programs that are sensitive to traditional medicine practices. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31511 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:07.214Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Department of Public Health and Family Medicine |
| publisherStr | Department of Public Health and Family Medicine |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31511 The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi Chisaka, Joseph Wangisani Krause, Stephanie Bates, Maya Jane Palliative Medicine Background: The prevalence of use of traditional medicines by patients receiving palliative care is poorly documented. In 2002, the World Health Organisation estimated about 4 billion people (80% of the world’s population) used traditional medicines for some aspect of primary healthcare, with 90% of users living in low and middle income countries. Studies in Africa have shown that patients on palliative care are more likely to use traditional medicines especially after the diagnosis of cancer. This study describes the prevalence of and reasons for TM use amongst PC patients and also explores the common herbs used by this population. Methodology: A mixed method descriptive cross sectional study design was used including the following: questionnaire administered to patients attending palliative care clinic and focus group discussions with palliative care patients. Results: 60.4% of palliative care patients (n = 96; males = 53%) reported use of traditional herbal medicines. The majority of survey participants had the diagnosis of cancer (94%; n = 90) and HIV (89%; n = 85). Traditional herbal medicine use was common in participants who had the following symptoms: diarrhoea 83%, anorexia 63%, pain 61% etc. Traditional medicine use was not associated with age, gender, education, occupation, distance from hospital, diagnosis or symptom. 62% of the participants who used herbal medicines did not know the herbs they were taking. Kigelia Africana, Moringa oleifera, Cyphostema sp, and Strychnos innocua were the common herbs used. Cultural practices, limitations of conventional health system and credibility of traditional healers were the main reasons for using traditional herbal medicines. Conclusion: Use of traditional herbal medicines is high among patients receiving palliative care at Mulanje Mission hospital mainly for symptom management and cancer. Further research is needed to investigate effectiveness of identified herbs and also assess their potential herb-drug interactions. Ongoing work including liaison with traditional healers would assist to formulate effective local palliative care management programs that are sensitive to traditional medicine practices. 2020-03-09T07:34:17Z 2020-03-09T07:34:17Z 2019 2020-03-06T13:52:08Z Master Thesis Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31511 eng application/pdf Department of Public Health and Family Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences |
| spellingShingle | Palliative Medicine Chisaka, Joseph Wangisani The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi |
| title_full | The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi |
| title_fullStr | The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi |
| title_short | The use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at Mulanje Mission Hospital, Malawi |
| title_sort | use of traditional herbal medicines among palliative care patients at mulanje mission hospital malawi |
| topic | Palliative Medicine |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31511 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chisakajosephwangisani theuseoftraditionalherbalmedicinesamongpalliativecarepatientsatmulanjemissionhospitalmalawi AT chisakajosephwangisani useoftraditionalherbalmedicinesamongpalliativecarepatientsatmulanjemissionhospitalmalawi |