Beliefs and Attitudes Towards the Use of Traditional Medicine in a South African Regional Hospital

Abstract

Traditional medicine (TM) in South Africa is the first choice for a large number of black people seeking medical assistance in their communities for various illnesses that are perceived to be a threat to their health. The TM policy acknowledged by the World Health Organisation (WHO) exists in South Africa. The policy guides the process of integrating TM into the national health care system. However, hospitals in black communities have not embraced this policy or TM approach to health care. Nor have patients advocated for the use of TM as part of their medical treatment. The paper thus aims to explore the attitudes and beliefs of patients and health professionals, to understand the underlying issues that impact the acceptance of TM use in the hospital. A single-case qualitative study approach was conducted using the following data collection methods: namely, semi-structured face-to-face interviews with health professionals and a focus group interview with patients. The study findings revealed that although participants used TM to better their health concurrently with western medicine, none supported the integrating of TM as part of their medical treatment at the hospital.