Perspectives and practices of Xhosa-speaking African traditional healers when managing psychosis
SOURCE: International Journal of Disability, Development and Education
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2006
TITLE AUTHOR(S): K.G.Mzimkulu, L.C.Simbayi
KEYWORDS: HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, PATIENTS, PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTIONS, PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOSIS, TRADITIONAL HEALERS, XHOSA (LANGUAGE)
DEPARTMENT: Public Health, Societies and Belonging (HSC)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 4598
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/6077
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/6077
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2006
TITLE AUTHOR(S): K.G.Mzimkulu, L.C.Simbayi
KEYWORDS: HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, PATIENTS, PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTIONS, PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOSIS, TRADITIONAL HEALERS, XHOSA (LANGUAGE)
DEPARTMENT: Public Health, Societies and Belonging (HSC)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 4598
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/6077
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/6077
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate perspectives and practices of Xhosa-speaking African traditional healers, known as "amagqirha", in managing psychosis. Four traditional healers, three male and one female, were chosen to take part in the study through their association with psychosis patients undergoing treatment at a South African psychiatric hospital in Cape Town. In-depth interviews were used to collect data. The interviews were conducted in Xhosa and were tape-recorded. Following translation, the verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic content analysis. The main themes that emerged from the analysis were grouped under the following three main issues: diagnosis, aetiology, and treatment. In terms of diagnosis, the African traditional healers identified symptoms of psychosis, which are consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for schizophrenia. With regards to aetiology, supernatural powers such as witchcraft, spirit possession, angered ancestors, and genetic predisposition were articulated. Regarding treatment of psychosis, cleansing the patient and his or her family of evil spirits through washing, steaming, and induced vomiting were of major importance, followed by a group of traditional healers evocating evil spirits at the patient's home through singing and dancing. Implications of the findings for the continued co-existence and cooperation between traditional and western healing systems are discussed.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Religion, psychology and health
- Integrating services, marginalizing patients: psychiatric patients and primary health care in South Africa
- Preventive health behavior, personality and religiosity among black and white South Africans
- Critical incident exposure in South African emergency services personnel: prevalence and associated mental health issues
- African socialisation: the application of cross-cultural methodology
- Traditional healing and STI/HIV/AIDS/TB in South Africa: a participants' manual for tradtional health practitioners, community health workers and nurses
- Traditional circumcision during manhood initiation rituals in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: a pre-post intervention evaluation
- Health psychology
- Patients consulting traditional health practitioners in the context of HIV/AIDS in urban areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Traditional male circumcision remains a dangerous business
- Facilitating health-enabling social contexts for youth: qualitative evaluation of a family-based HIV-prevention pilot programme
- Collaboration between traditional practitioners and primary health care staff in South Africa: developing a workable partnership for community mental health services
- Mental health promotion initiatives for children and youth in contexts of poverty: the case of South Africa
- Recommendations for improving mental healthcare systems in Africa: lessons from Ghana, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia
- The feasibility of adapted group-based Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for the treatment of depression by community health workers within the context of task shifting in South Africa
- Traditional and alternative therapy for mental illness in Jamaica: patients' conceptions and practitioners' attitudes
- South Africa: strengthening the youth life experience
- PRIME: a programme to reduce the treatment gap for mental disorders in five low- and middle-income countries
- Psychological distress and traumatic stress neglected in mental health
- Depression and social functioning among HIV-infected and uninfected persons in South Africa