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Matungwa DJ, Hong R, Kidola J, Pungu D, Ponticiello M, Peck R, Sundararajan R. Understanding the role of traditional healers in the HIV care cascade: Findings from a qualitative study among stakeholders in Mwanza, Tanzania. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000674. [PMID: 36962758 PMCID: PMC10021224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Tanzania is HIV-endemic, with 5% prevalence. However, less than half of Tanzanians are aware of their HIV status, and only 75% of adult Tanzanians living with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Informal healthcare providers, such as traditional healers, frequently serve as the first line of healthcare in Tanzania. How traditional healers interact with people living with HIV (PLWH) remains unknown. This study sought to understand gaps in HIV care and explore how traditional healers interface with PLWH along the HIV care cascade. We conducted a qualitative study in Mwanza, Tanzania, between November 2019 and May 2020. We invited 15 traditional healers, 15 clients of traditional healers, 15 biomedical healthcare facility staff, and 15 PLWH to participate in a single qualitative interview. Two community focus groups were held with eight male and eight female participants. Participants were 18 years of age or older. Individual experiences with traditional healers and biomedical healthcare facilities, as well as perceptions of traditional healers with respect to HIV care, were explored through interviews. Using a content-analysis approach, codes were grouped into a framework that characterized how traditional healers engage with PLWH throughout the HIV care cascade. PLWH engaged with traditional healers throughout the HIV care cascade, from pre- to post-HIV diagnosis. Traditional healers were described in some cases as facilitating HIV testing, while others were described as delaying testing by providing traditional treatments for HIV symptoms. Traditional medications were frequently used concurrently with ARTs by PLWH. There was concern that healers contributed to ART nonadherence as some PLWH used traditional therapies in search of a "cure" for HIV. Our findings suggest that traditional healers interact with PLWH throughout the HIV care continuum and that collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical healthcare professionals and facilities is needed to improve HIV treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dunstan J. Matungwa
- Mwanza Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Richie Hong
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jeremiah Kidola
- Mwanza Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Daniel Pungu
- Mwanza Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Matthew Ponticiello
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Weill Cornell Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Robert Peck
- Mwanza Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania
- Weill Cornell Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Weill Bugando School of Medicine, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Radhika Sundararajan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Weill Cornell Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
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Raugi DN, Ba S, Cisse O, Diallo K, Tamba IT, Ndour C, Badiane NMD, Fortes L, Diallo MB, Faye D, Smith RA, Sall F, Toure M, Sall EI, Diallo Agne H, Faye K, Diatta JP, Sy MP, Chang M, Diaw B, Sambou J, Bakhoum R, Sy MD, Niang A, Malomar JJ, Coombs RW, Hawes SE, Ndoye I, Kiviat NB, Sow PS, Seydi M, Gottlieb GS. Long-term Experience and Outcomes of Programmatic Antiretroviral Therapy for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Infection in Senegal, West Africa. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:369-378. [PMID: 33527119 PMCID: PMC7850514 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Programmatic treatment outcome data for people living with human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) in West Africa, where the virus is most prevalent, are scarce. METHODS Adults with HIV-2 initiating or receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) through the Senegalese national AIDS program were invited to participate in this prospective, longitudinal observational cohort study. We analyzed HIV-2 viral loads, CD4 cell counts, antiretroviral drug resistance, loss to follow-up, and mortality. We also examined changes in treatment guidelines over time and assessed progress toward the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets for HIV-2. RESULTS We enrolled 291 participants at 2 sites for 926.0 person-years of follow-up over 13 years. Median follow-up time was 2.2 years per participant. There were 21 deaths reported (7.2%), and 117 individuals (40.2%) were lost to follow-up, including 43 (14.7%) who had an initial visit but never returned for follow-up. CD4 counts and HIV-2 viral suppression (< 50 copies/mL) at enrollment increased over calendar time. Over the study period, 76.7% of plasma viral loads for participants receiving ART were suppressed, and median CD4 gain was 84 cells/μL in participants' first 2 years on study. Since the UNAIDS 90-90-90 strategy was published, 88.1% of viral loads were suppressed. Fifteen percent of patients experienced virologic failure with no known resistance mutations, while 56% had evidence of multiclass drug resistance. CONCLUSIONS Participants in the Senegalese national AIDS program are initiating ART earlier in the course of disease, and more modern therapeutic regimens have improved outcomes among those receiving therapy. Despite these achievements, HIV-2 treatment remains suboptimal, and significant challenges to improving care remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana N Raugi
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Selly Ba
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Khardiata Diallo
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Cheikh Ndour
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ndeye Mery Dia Badiane
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Louise Fortes
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Mouhamadou Baïla Diallo
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Robert A Smith
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Fatima Sall
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Macoumba Toure
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Habibatou Diallo Agne
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Khadim Faye
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Marie Pierre Sy
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ming Chang
- Laboratory Medicine, Division of Virology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Binetou Diaw
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Robert W Coombs
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Laboratory Medicine, Division of Virology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stephen E Hawes
- Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ibra Ndoye
- Conseil National de Lutte Contre le SIDA du Senegal, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Nancy B Kiviat
- Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Papa Salif Sow
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Moussa Seydi
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Ibrahima Diop Mar, Centre Hospitalier National Universitaire de Fann, Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Geoffrey S Gottlieb
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Stein E, Pulle J, Zimmerman M, Otim I, Atala J, Rwebembera J, Oyella LM, Harik N, Okello E, Sable C, Beaton A. Previous Traditional Medicine Use for Sore Throat among Children Evaluated for Rheumatic Fever in Northern Uganda. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 104:842-847. [PMID: 33319727 PMCID: PMC7941849 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Timely diagnosis of group A streptococcal (GAS) sore throat coupled with appropriate antibiotic treatment is necessary to prevent serious post-streptococcal complications, including rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Traditional medicine (TM) is a known common adjunct to formal medical care in sub-Saharan Africa. A better understanding of health-seeking behavior for sore throat both within and outside the formal medical system is critical to improving primary prevention efforts of RF and RHD. A prospective mixed-methods study on the use of TM for sore throat was embedded within a larger epidemiological study of RF in Northern Uganda. Children presenting with symptoms of RF were interviewed about recent TM use as well as health services use for sore throat. One hundred children with a median age of 10 years (interquartile range: 6.8-13 years) completed the TM interview with their parent/guardian as part of a research study of RF. Seventeen, or 17%, accessed a TM provider for sore throat as part of the current illness, and 70% accessed TM for sore throat in the past (73% current or past use). Of the 20 parents who witnessed the TM visit, 100% reported use of crude tonsillectomy. Penicillin was the most frequently prescribed medication by TM providers in 52% of participants who were seen by a TM provider. The use of TM among children presenting with symptoms of sore throat in northern Uganda is common and frequently used in tandem with diagnostic services offered through the formal healthcare system. Engagement with TM practitioners may provide an important avenue for designing effective primary prevention and management strategies of RF and reduce the global burden of RHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Stein
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
- Children’s National Heart Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Jafesi Pulle
- Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Isaac Otim
- Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jenifer Atala
- Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joselyn Rwebembera
- Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Linda Mary Oyella
- Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Nada Harik
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Emmy Okello
- Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Craig Sable
- Children’s National Heart Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Andrea Beaton
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati Medical School, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Kim JK, Kim KH, Shin YC, Jang BH, Ko SG. Utilization of traditional medicine in primary health care in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Health Policy Plan 2020; 35:1070-1083. [PMID: 32516397 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czaa022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper reports the findings from the first systematic review of the utilization of traditional medicine (TM) in primary health care (PHC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). PHC is an important component of health care and essential for achieving universal health coverage (UHC). For countries where there is a gap in PHC, TM plays a vital role. It is widely used and has the potential to increase the coverage of PHC and UHC. Hence in situations where TM is recognized in a considerable magnitude, there are scarce evidence and minimal regulation on it and TM practitioners (TMPs). This study aims to identify the current situation in the utilization of TM in PHC or UHC in LMICs. A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative and quantitative studies have been conducted. A total of 56 articles met the criteria and were included in the review. In all, 14 analytic themes have been developed including the current use of TM in PHC, higher accessibility of TM, medical pluralism, national health system, national health policy and national health insurance to include TM, including TMPs in the referral system, utilizing TMPs as community health workers, the needs of scientific research on TM and the need for training both TMPs and conventional medical staffs for better collaboration. The study concluded that it is necessary to further focus on TM in the macro level on strengthening the referral system by including TM to establish a comprehensive service delivery network under UHC and in the micro level to focus on training the TMPs and conventional medicine health workers on both areas to attain more in-depth understanding of each other, which can lead to better collaboration and quality patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Kyoun Kim
- Department of Global Public Health and Korean Medicine Management, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Han Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University, 61, Seonneomeo 3-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do 54986, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Cheol Shin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo-Hyoung Jang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Gyu Ko
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
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