TRADITIONAL BONE SETTERS

Objectives: To evaluate the factors for preferring the traditional bone settersby people. Study Design: Observational study. Setting: Department of Orthopedics andSpine Surgery Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar. Period: October, 2013 to March, 2014.Materials and Methods: Sixty consecutive patients who presented at orthopedics out-patientclinic after attending Traditional Bone Setting Centers were recruited for the study. Informationabout the patients’ bio data, mechanism of injury, who advised them to contact TBS and whatare the factors that compelled them to attend TBS were obtained and filled into preparedproforma. The data obtained was recorded and analyzed on SPSS version 17.Results: Themean age was 25.57 years with minimum age 5 years and maximum 65 years. Sixteen patientswere females and 44 were male. Two (3.3%) patients first attended Modern orthopedic services(MOS) and 58(96.7%) patients attended TBS.47(78.3%) patients were taken by their ownimmediate family members to TBS, 20% were referred by friends and 1.7% were self-referral.Thirty seven (61.7%) opted for TBS because of their belief, 11(18.3%) considered this servicecheap, 7(11.7%) attended it because it is quick service and 5 (8.3%) reverted to TBS becauseof attitude of hospital personals. Conclusion: A considerable of people still have great trust onTBS regarding management of musculoskeletal problems. Belief is the most leading cause ofconsulting traditional bonesetters, other causes include low cast, quick service and attitude ofhospital personnel.