TRADITIONAL HEALERS

Campbell-Hall, V., Petersen, I., Bhana, A., Mjadu, S., Hosegood, V. & Flisher, A.J. (2010) Collaboration between traditional practitioners and primary health care staff in South Africa: developing a workable partnership for community mental health services. Transcultural Psychiatry. 47(4):610-628.

The majority of the black African population in South Africa utilize both traditional and public sector Western systems of healing for mental health care. There is a need to develop models of collaboration that promote a workable relationship between the two healing systems. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of service users and providers of current interactions between the two ...

Dlamini, N., Dlamini, N., Peltzer, K., Mngqundaniso, N., Shangase, M., Buthelezi, D., Petros, G. & Balaba, D. (2004) Traditional healing and STI/HIV/AIDS/TB in South Africa: a participants' manual for tradtional health practitioners, community health workers and nurses. (Commissioned by the Department of Health).

Dlamini, N., Dlamini, N., Peltzer, K., Mngqundaniso, N., Shangase, M., Buthelezi, D., Petros, G. & Balaba, D. (2004) Traditional healing and STI/HIV/AIDS/TB in South Africa: a trainers' manual for tradtional health practitioners, community health workers and nurses. (Commissioned by the Department of Health).

Mngqundaniso, N. & Peltzer, K. (2008) Traditional healers and nurses: a qualitative study on their role on sexually transmitted infections including HIV and AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 5(4):380-386.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of traditional healers in sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS and collaboration between the traditional and biomedical health care systems as seen by nurses and traditional healers. A convenient sample of 15 professional nurses and 15 traditional healers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Qualitative analyses ...

Mpofu, E., Peltzer, K. & Bojuwoye, O. (2011) Indigenous healing practices in sub-Saharan Africa. In: Mpofu, E. (ed). Counseling people of African ancestry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3-21.

Healers seek to help patients understand the sociocultural basis of their health conditions, and how they can recognize, activate, or utilize resources and or support systems necessary to alleviate their suffering. Treatment modalities include relaxation techniques, use of herbs, psychocultural education, dream interpretation, storytelling, use of proverbs, cleansing, libation, music, and cerem...

Mzimkulu, K.G. & Simbayi, L.C. (2006) Perspectives and practices of Xhosa-speaking African traditional healers when managing psychosis. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education. 53(4):417-431.

The aim of this study was to investigate perspectives and practices of Xhosa-speaking African traditional healers, known as "amagqirha", in managing psychosis. Four traditional healers, three male and one female, were chosen to take part in the study through their association with psychosis patients undergoing treatment at a South African psychiatric hospital in Cape Town. In-depth interviews w...

Peltzer, K., Kanta, X. & Banyini, M. (2010) Evaluation of a safer male circumcision training programme for Ndebele traditional surgeons and nurses in Gauteng, South Africa: using direct observation of circumcision procedures. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 7(2):153-159.

The aim of this study was to assess the safety of traditional male circumcision practices among Ndebele traditional surgeons following a five days training by direct observation of circumcision procedures. The sample included eight Ndebele traditional surgeons and traditional nurses and 86 initiates (abakhwetwa) from two districts in Gauteng province in South Africa. A structured observations t...

Peltzer, K., Kanta, X. & Banyini, M. (2009) Evaluation of a safer male circumcision training programme for Ndebele traditional surgeons and nurses in Gauteng, South Africa.

Peltzer, K. (2009) Healing: the fever abates in South Africa. HSRC Review. 7(2):20-21.

Surveys on the use and practice of traditional/complementary/alternative medicine over the past decade suggest that, although traditional medicine still plays an important role among South Africans, traditional or faith healers seem to be visited less often than before, writes Karl Peltzer.

Peltzer, K., Banyini, M., Simbayi, L. & Kalichman, S. (2009) Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about male circumcision and HIV by traditional and medical providers of male circumcision and traditionally and medically circumcised men in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Gender and Behaviour. 7(2):2394-2429.

The aims of this study in Mpumalanga, South Africa, are to assess (1) the current behavioural risk reduction messages and HIV/AIDS education provided by medical and traditional providers of male circumcision to men undergoing medical and traditional circumcision and (2) the risk-related behavioural beliefs regarding circumcision, HIV/AIDS risks, condoms and gender attitudes among men who have u...

Peltzer, K. (2009) Traditional health practitioners in South Africa. The Lancet. 374:956-957.

This article discusses the inclusion of traditional care into the national health-care system by a traditional medicine directorate within the Department of Health.

Peltzer, K., Phaswana-Mafuya, N. & Treger, L. (2009) Use of traditional and complementary health practices in prenatal, delivery and postnatal care in the context of HIV Transmission from Mother to Child (PMTCT) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 6(2):155-162.

The aim of this study was as part of a baseline assessment in PMTCT in the traditional health sector: a) to determine the views of women who have used the services of traditional practitioners before, during and/or after pregnancy, and b) to conduct formative research with traditional health practitioners (THPs), i.e. herbalists, diviners and traditional birth attendants (TBAs) on HIV, pregnanc...

Peltzer, K. (2009) Utilization and practice of traditional/complementary/alternative medicine (TM/CAM) in South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 6(2):175-185.

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of published and unpublished research investigating the prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TMCAM) use in the general population. Results found that use of a traditional and/or faith healer seemed to have decreased over the past 13 years (from a range of 3.6 - 12.7% to 0.1%). The prevalence of traditional ma...

Peltzer, K., Nqeketo, A., Petros, G. & Kanta, X. (2008) Attitudes of preinitiates towards traditional male circumcision in the context of HIV in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Social Behavior and Personality. 36(8):1023-1034.

The aim of this study was to assess attitudes of preinitiates towards traditional Male Circumcision (MC) in the context of HIV. The sample included 350 Xhosa preinitiates recruited from 3 different recruitment sites during the preparation prior to MC in the Eastern Cape province. Results indicated that: 10% were to be circumcised before their sexual debut and reported a great deal of sexual ri...

Peltzer, K., Nqeketo, A., Petros, G. & Kanta, X. (2008) Evaluation of a safer male circumcision training programme for traditional surgeons and nurses in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 5(4):346-354.

traditional surgeons and 49 traditional nurses in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Training included the following topics: initiation rites; statutory regulation of traditional male circumcision and initiation into Manhood (TCIM); structure and function of the male sex organs; procedure of safe circumcision, infection control; sexually transmitted infections (STIs); HIV/AIDS; infection control m...

Peltzer, K. & Mngqundaniso, N. (2008) Patients consulting traditional health practitioners in the context of HIV/AIDS in urban areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 5(4):370-379.

the practice of THPs after they had been trained on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) prevention and care. The sample included 222 patients interviewed when exiting a THP?s practice (n=17) in purposefully chosen two urban sites in KwaZulu-Natal. Results indicate that at post training evaluation the majority of the THPs were involved in HIV/STI management ...

Peltzer, K., Nqeketo, A., Petros, G. & Kanta, X. (2008) Traditional circumcision during manhood initiation rituals in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: a pre-post intervention evaluation. BMC Public Health. 8(1):64.

Circumcisions undertaken in non-clinical settings can have significant risks of serious adverse events, including death. The aim of this study was to test an intervention for safe traditional circumcision in the context of initiation into manhood among the Xhosa, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Traditional surgeons and nurses registered with the health department were trained over five days on te...

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Peltzer, K. (2008) Traditional male circumcision remains a dangerous business. HSRC Review. 6(2):5-6.

Male circumcision using traditional methods is a dangerous, even life-threatening, rite of passage. In presumably the first study to test the feasibility of an intervention for safe traditional circumcision among the Xhosa in the Eastern Cape, the authors found weak support for encouraging this practice.

Peltzer, K., Friend-du Preez, N., Ramlagan, S. & Fomundam, H. (2008) Use of traditional complementary and alternative medicine for HIV patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. BMC Public Health. 8(1):255.

Background: Traditional medicine use has been reported is common among individuals with moderate and advanced HIV disease. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the use of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) for HIV patients prior to initiating antiretroviral therapy in three public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: Using systematic sampling...

Peltzer, K., Mngqundaniso, N. & Petros, G. (2006) A controlled study of an HIV/AIDS/STI/TB intervention with traditional healers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. AIDS and behavior. 10(6):683-690.

Traditional healers play an important role in southern Africa culture and health care including the HIV epidemic. Here we report among the first controlled studies of an HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and tuberculosis (TB) intervention for traditional healers in South Africa. At baseline 233 traditional healers were assessed in four selected communities in the KwaZulu-Natal pro...

Peltzer, K. (2006) Culture and psychotrauma. In Interkulturelle Trauma-diagnostik: Probleme, Befunde und Richtlinien fur die Begutachtung von Asylsuchenden. Ottomeyer, K. & Renner, W. (eds). Klagenfurt: Drava Verlag. 65-91.

Peltzer, K., Mngqundaniso, N. & Petros, G. (2006) HIV/AIDS/STI/TB knowledge, beliefs and practices of traditional healers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. AIDS care. 18(6):608-613.

In a cross sectional study 233 traditional healers were interviewed in three selected communities in KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of this study was to investigate the HIV/AIDS/STI/TB knowledge, beliefs and practices of traditional healers in South Africa.

Simwaka, A., Peltzer, K. & Maluwa-Banda, D. (2007) Indigenous healing practices in Malawi. Journal of Psychology in Africa. 17(1):155-162.

One of the most important areas of African culture in which the significant presence of traditional beliefs can be seen is through sickness and healing. In many traditional cultures, illness is thought to be caused by psychological conflicts or disturbed social relations that create a disequilibrium expressed in the form of physical or mental problems. In Malawi, traditional healing has been ...