title: Perceptions of traditional healing for mental illness in rural Gujarat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the significant toll of mental illness on the Indian population, resources for patients often are scarce, especially in rural areas. Traditional healing has a long history in India and is still widely used, including for mental illnesses. However, its use has rarely been studied systematically.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the perspective of patients, their families, and healthy community members toward faith healing for mental illness, including the type of interventions received, perceptions of its efficacy, and overall satisfaction with the process. We also sought to explore the range of care received in the community and investigate possibilities for enhancing mental health treatment in rural Gujarat.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed 49 individuals in July 2013 at Dhiraj General Hospital and in 8 villages surrounding Vadodara. A structured qualitative interview elicited attitudes toward faith healing for mental illnesses and other diseases. Qualitative analysis was performed on the completed data set using grounded theory methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects treated by both a doctor and a healer reported they overwhelmingly would recommend a doctor over a healer. Almost all who were treated with medication recognized an improvement in their condition. Many subjects felt that traditional healing can be beneficial and believed that patients should initially go to a healer for their problems. Many also felt that healers are not effective for mental illness or are dishonest and should not be used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects were largely dissatisfied with their experiences with traditional healers, but healing is still an incredibly common first-line practice in Gujarat. Because healers are such integral parts of their communities and so commonly sought out, collaboration between faith healers and medical practitioners would hold significant promise as a means to benefit patients. This partnership could improve access to care and decrease the burden of mental illness experienced by patients and their communities.
authors: Global Health Center Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. Electronic address: Julie.schoonover@mssm.edu.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Schoonover
authors: New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY.
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Lipkin
authors: Global Health Center Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
authors: Munazza
authors: M
authors: Javid
authors: Global Health Center Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Rosen
authors: MINDS Foundation, Waltham, MA.
authors: Mehul
authors: M
authors: Solanki
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Gujarat, India.
authors: Sandip
authors: S
authors: Shah
authors: Global Health Center Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
authors: Craig L
authors: CL
authors: Katz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003906:Developing Countries; D029221:Faith Healing; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D019035:Rural Health Services
keywords: India; faith healer; mental illness; rural population; traditional healer