title: Perspectives of traditional health practitioners on the use of microbicides for the prevention of HIV.
abstract: In many South African communities, Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) are significant participants within a plural health care system. For several years, it has been argued that this role, especially in the context of HIV/AIDS, has not been fully optimised and THPs continue to operate outside the formal biomedical sector, where the latter forms the central means by which public health campaigns are delivered and implemented. In our previous research, we have shown that this separation of the biomedical and traditional sectors perpetuates a low level of understanding of HIV by THPs with adverse consequences for patients and the overall health care system. In this study we investigated whether biomedical/traditional division could be transformed through the involvement of THPs in the distribution of barrier microbicides; the latter are presently under investigation as a means of preventing HIV infection. We concluded that THPs could provide a willing and effective distribution network for the gel-based microbicides; given the large number of THPs and their patients, such a distribution strategy would ensure that microbicides are accessible and adopted relatively quickly within the target communities of the HIV prevention campaigns.
authors: Graduate School of Technology Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. dwalwyn@ithembapharma.com
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Walwyn
authors: Boitumelo
authors: B
authors: Maitshotlo
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D011634:Public Health; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: AIDS; HIV; Traditional Health Practitioners; microbicides; prevention
references: Psychol Health Med. 2007 May;12(3):314-20
references: 17510901
references: Lancet Infect Dis. 2008 Nov;8(11):685-97
references: 18992405
references: Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2008 Jun 18;5(4):370-9
references: 20161959