Vol. 2012 No. 1 (2012)
Impact Assessment of Traditional Herbal Remedies on HIV/AIDS Treatment Adherence Among Rural Women in Zimbabwe
Abstract
HIV/AIDS is a significant public health issue in rural Zimbabwe, where traditional herbal remedies are commonly used alongside conventional medical treatments. A mixed-methods approach including surveys, interviews, and focus groups was employed to gather data from a sample of 150 rural women in Zimbabwe's rural areas. Traditional herbal remedies were reported by 72% of participants as an integral part of their HIV/AIDS treatment regimen. However, only 45% adhered strictly to both traditional and conventional treatments simultaneously. The integration of traditional practices into formal healthcare systems could improve adherence if supported with evidence-based guidelines. Healthcare providers should incorporate knowledge about traditional remedies into their care plans and encourage patients to discuss complementary therapies with them. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.
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