title: Barriers to biomedical care and use of traditional medicines for treatment of cervical cancer: an exploratory qualitative study in northern Uganda.
abstract: Use of traditional medicines for treatment of cancers has increased worldwide. We used a qualitative approach to explore barriers to biomedical care and reasons for use of traditional medicines for the treatment of cervical cancer in Gulu, northern Uganda. We carried out 24 focus group discussions involving men and women aged 18-59 years. We employed content analyses technique in data analysis. Traditional medicines were used mainly due to barriers to biomedical care for cervical cancer. The barriers included health system factors, for example long distances to health facilities and unavailability of medicines; health workers' factors, for example negative attitudes towards patients and demands for bribes; individual patient's factors, for example inability to pay for medical care; and socio-cultural beliefs about superiority of traditional medicines and perceived greater privacy in accessing traditional healers. Barriers to biomedical care and community beliefs in the effectiveness of traditional medicines encourage use of traditional medicines for treatment of cervical cancer but might hinder help-seeking at biomedical facilities. There is need for targeted culturally sensitive awareness campaign to promote effectiveness of modern medicine and to encourage cautious use of traditional medicines in the treatment of cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mwaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Okello
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Orach
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003415:Crime; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011287:Prejudice; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012423:Rural Health; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000191:economics; D014195:Travel; D014454:Uganda; D014504:Urban Health; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: barriers to healthcare; cervical cancer; northern Uganda; traditional medicines