EXPERIENCES AND VIEWS OF HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS REGARDING SESOTHO TRADITIONAL MEDICINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF HIV/AIDS IN MORIJA, LESOTHO
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2520-5293/118Abstract
In Lesotho various traditional medicines have been reported to aid in the management of HIV/Aids, although the evidence is yet to be tested scientifically. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe experiences of HIV-positive/ Aids patients using Sesotho traditional medicines for the management of HIV/Aids and related symptoms. An explorative qualitative research design was used in which a sample of 17 HIV-positive adults aged between 18 and 49 years was purposively sampled and interviewed individually. Two themes emerged from the data, namely: (1) experiences of using Sesotho traditional medicines and (2) views on Sesotho traditional medicines. The study concluded that Sesotho traditional medicines were believed and understood to play a role in the symptomatic management of HIV/Aids, even though the actual role they play is yet to be determined. It is recommended that follow-up studies focusing on traditional healers/herbalists, the use of specific traditional medicines/herbs, potential interactions between traditional medicines and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as well as the health-seeking behaviour of HIV-positive/Aids patients could be done to further improve knowledge of Sesotho traditional medicine use.
Â
Metrics
References
Anon. 2010. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary for Current English. 8th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Babb, D.A., Pemba, L., Seatlanyane, P., Charalambous, S., Churchyard, G.J. & Grant, A.D. 2007. Use of traditional medicines by HIV-infected individuals in South Africa in the era of antiretroviral therapy. Psychological Health Medicine, 12(3):314–320.
Barimah, K. & van Teijlingen, E.R. 2008. The use of traditional medicine by Ghanaians in Canada. British Medical Council Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 8:30.
Brink, H. 2009. Fundamentals of Research methodology for health Care Professionals, revised by C Van Der Walt and G Van Rensburg. 2nd edition. Cape Town: Juta
Chen W.T., Shiu, C.S., Simoni, J., Fredrick-Goldsen, K., Zhang, F., Starks, H. & Zhao, H. 2009. Attitudes towards antiretroviral therapy and complementary and alternative medicine in Chinese patients infected with HIV. Journal of the Association of Nurses in Aids Care, 20(3):203–217.
De Vos, A.S., Strydom, H., Fouché, C.B. & Delport, C.S.L. 2011. Research at grass roots: for the social sciences and human service professions. Pretoria: Van Schaik.
Edward, M., Cooper, C., Dugald, S. & Kanfer, I. 2005. African herbal medicines in the treatment of HIV. Hypoxis and Sutherlandia: an overview of evidence and pharmacology. Nutrition Journal, 4(1):19.
Fakeye, T.O., Adisa, R. & Musa, I. 2009. Attitude and use of herbal medicines among pregnant women in Nigeria. British Medical Council of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 9:53.
Gyasi, R.M., Mensah, C.M., Adjei, P.O. & Agyemang, S. 2011. Public perceptions of the role of traditional medicine in health care delivery system in Ghana. Global Journal of Health Science, 3(2):40–49.
Kaboru, B.B., Falkenberg, T., Ndulo, J., Muchimba, M., Solo, K., Faxelid, E. 2006. Communities’ views on prerequisites for collaboration between modern and traditional health sectors in relation to STI/HIV/AIDS care in Zambia. Health Policy, 78:330–339.
Langlois-Klassen, D., Kipp, W., Jhangri, G.S. & Rubaale, T. 2007. Use of traditional herbal medicines by AIDS patients in Kabarole district, Western Uganda. American Journal of Tropical Medicine, 77(4):757–763.
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare & ICF Macro. 2010. Lesotho Demographic and Health Survey, 2009. Maseru: Ministry of Health and Social Welfare & ICF Macro.
MOHSW & ICF Macro see Ministry of Health and Social Welfare & ICF Macro.
Namuddu, B., Kalyango, J.N., Karamagi, C., Mudiope, P., Sumba, S., Kalende, H., Wobudeya, E., Kigozi, B.K. & Waako, P. 2011. Prevalence and factors associated with traditional herbal medicine use among patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy in Uganda. British Medical Council Public Health, 11:855.
Nyika A. 2009. The ethics of improving African traditional medicine practice: scientific or African traditional research methods. Acta Tropica, 112:32–36.
Orisatoki, R.O. & Oguntibeju, O.O. 2010. The role of herbal medicine use in HIV/AIDS treatment. Archives of Clinical Microbiology, 1(3):3.
Peltzer, K., Preez, N.F., Ramlagan, S. & Fomundum, H. 2008. Use of traditional complementary and alternative medicine for HIV patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. British Medical Council Public Health, 8:255.
Polit, D.F. & Beck, CT. 2008. Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 8th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Puoane, T.R., Hughes, G.D., Uwinana, J., Johnson, Q. & Folk, W.R. 2012. Why HIV positive patients on antiretroviral treatment and or cotrimoxazole prophylaxis use traditional medicine. Perceptions of health workers, traditional healers and patients: a study in two provinces of South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 9(4):495–502.
Tamuno, I. 2011. Traditional medicine for HIV infected patients in antiretroviral therapy in a tertiary hospital in Kano, Northwest Nigeria. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 4(2):152–155.
Van der Kooi, R. & Theobald, S. 2006. Traditional medicines in late pregnancy and labor: perceptions of Kgaba remedies amongst the Tswana in South Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, (3)1:11–22.
WHO see World Health Organisation.
World Health Organisation. 2003. Traditional medicine. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/2003/fs134/en/ (Accessed 22 February 2015).
Wu, X.F., Wang, J., Li, Y., Tang, Y.L. & Zhao, D.D. 2011. Thoughts on intervention in HIV/AIDS with traditional Chinese medicine. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 31(4):265–268.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Accepted 2015-02-18
Published 2015-07-27
