Open AccessPrevalence and socio-economic factors affecting the use of traditional medicine among adults of Katikekile Subcounty, Moroto District, Uganda
Author(s) -
Annie Logiel,
Erik Jørs,
Pardon Akugizibwe,
Peder Ahnfeldt-Mollerup
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
african health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.391
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1729-0503
pISSN - 1680-6905
DOI - 10.4314/ahs.v21i3.52
Subject(s) - medicine , socioeconomic status , alternative medicine , cross sectional study , qualitative research , health care , family medicine , focus group , traditional medicine , environmental health , population , economic growth , social science , business , pathology , marketing , sociology , economics
Background: In Uganda generally and in rural areas in particular, use of traditional medicine is a common practice, yet there remains lack of evidence on the overall utilization of traditional medicine and there are many aspects that remain unclear.
Objective: To determine the use of traditional medicine and factors associated with this among the adults of Katikekile Subcounty in Moroto district.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study using quantitative and qualitative methods. Interviews among 323 respond- ents, and focus group discussions were carried out among village traditional birth attendants, village health team members, and traditional health providers.
Results: Use of traditional medicine among the adults of Katikekile Subcounty was 68%. Usage was more prevalent among older people, and the majority of the adults used traditional medicine often as their first line-treatment for any illness. Herbs used for traditional medicines are usually locally available and free-of-charge. Long distance to health-facility based health care services, and medical fees contributed to the use of traditional medicine.
Conclusion: Use of traditional medicine among adults of Katikekile Subcounty in Moroto in the Karamoja region in Uganda was high, and majority of the adults often used traditional medicine as first line-treatment. Both socioeconomic and health sector factors were associated with use of traditional medicine.
Keywords: Intercultural medicine; indigenous; herbalists.