a School of Global Studies , University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden.
b Department of Social Work , University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden.
Glob Public Health. 2018 Feb;13(2):159-172. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2016.1239269. Epub 2016 Oct 7.
Traditional medicine (TM) and biomedicine represent parallel health systems in many developing countries; the latter dominating in public policies, while the former still retain considerable influence among the general public. This study investigates how mental health care professionals responsible for mental health care implementation comprehend and relate to the intersection between TM and biomedicine in the cases of Rwanda and the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The material is based on semi-structured interviews with mental health care stakeholders in Eastern Cape, South Africa and Rwanda. The findings confirm an impact of TM in the treatment of mental health issues in Rwanda and South Africa due to TM being more accessible than biomedical medicine, widespread traditional perceptions of mental illness in society, and the lack of knowledge of biomedical treatments. Furthermore, the respondents identified three strategies to manage the impact of TM; improved accessibility of biomedical facilities, outreach education about mental illness, and, in the Eastern Cape case, collaboration between traditional healers and biomedicine. The study points to the necessity to take TM into consideration as an important component of health systems and policies in the Global south.
传统医学（TM）和生物医学在许多发展中国家代表着并行的卫生系统；后者在公共政策中占主导地位，而前者在公众中仍然保持相当大的影响力。本研究调查了负责实施精神卫生保健的精神卫生保健专业人员如何理解和处理卢旺达和南非东开普省 TM 与生物医学之间的交叉问题。该材料基于对南非东开普省和卢旺达的精神卫生保健利益攸关方的半结构化访谈。研究结果证实，由于 TM 比生物医学更易获得、社会上对精神疾病的传统观念普遍存在以及对生物医学治疗方法的了解不足，TM 在卢旺达和南非的精神卫生保健问题治疗中产生了影响。此外，受访者确定了三种管理 TM 影响的策略；改善生物医学设施的可及性、开展关于精神疾病的外展教育，以及在东开普省的情况下，传统治疗师与生物医学之间的合作。该研究指出，有必要将 TM 视为南部非洲国家卫生系统和政策的一个重要组成部分。
