Traditional and western medicine: cultural beliefs and practices of South African Indian Muslims with regard to stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the beliefs of caregivers and traditional healers within the South African Indian Muslim community regarding the etiology and treatment of stroke and the persons likely to be consulted in this regard.


METHODS
A descriptive case study design was employed which incorporated two groups and was located within a qualitative paradigm.


METHODS
Data were collected within the homes of caregivers and the consulting rooms of traditional healers.


METHODS
Ten caregivers of persons who had sustained strokes and 10 traditional healers were interviewed.


METHODS
Individual interviews were held with participants.


METHODS
Responses to semi-structured interview schedules were analyzed using thematic content analysis and descriptive statistics.


RESULTS
For both groups, religion and faith in God played a pertinent role in beliefs regarding etiology of illnesses such as stroke. Caregivers used a combination of traditional and Western medicine approaches. For traditional healers, treatment was based on the premise of restoring the balance between hot and cold in the body, which had been placed in disequilibrium by the stroke. Participants expressed disillusionment with referrals to Western healthcare professionals whose treatment was often regarded as culturally inappropriate. They also emphasized the integral role played by family members in the treatment of illness and disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Results have implications for: culturally sensitive management of stroke patients in the South African Indian Muslim community; collaboration between Western and traditional healers; involvement of families in the remediation process; and further research.
Bham
Zaheerah
Z
Speech Pathology and Audiology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.
Ross
Eleanor
E
D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007514:Islam; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*