Collaboration between Biomedical and Traditional Health Practitioners in Zambia
Author Information
Author(s): Kaboru Berthollet Bwira, Falkenberg Torkel, Ndubani Phillimon, Höjer Bengt, Vongo Rodwell, Brugha Ruairi, Faxelid Elisabeth
Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet
Hypothesis
Can biomedical and traditional health care providers work together?
Conclusion
There is a willingness among practitioners from both sectors to strengthen collaboration, but significant obstacles remain.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 24% of biomedical health practitioners reported collaboration with traditional health practitioners in the past six months.
- 40% of biomedical health practitioners expressed interest in closer collaboration with traditional health practitioners.
- Both groups acknowledged the potential role of traditional health practitioners in HIV/AIDS care.
Takeaway
Doctors and traditional healers in Zambia want to work together to help people with HIV/AIDS, but there are many challenges that make it hard for them to do so.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study using structured questionnaires was conducted with 152 biomedical health practitioners and 144 traditional health practitioners in two Zambian urban sites.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from using traditional and biomedical practitioners as research assistants may have influenced responses.
Limitations
The study did not categorize traditional health practitioners into different specialties, which may have provided more nuanced insights.
Participant Demographics
The average age of traditional health practitioners was 48 years, with 52% women; biomedical health practitioners averaged 39 years, with 87% women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.015
Statistical Significance
p = 0.015
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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