African Health and Development Linkages (Interdisciplinary - | 20 May 2007
Prescriptions in Flux: Longitudinal Analysis of Botanical Medicine Usage by Traditional Healers in Malaria Treatment Amongst Tanzanian Communities,
K, a, m, a, s, i, K, i, g, o, g, o
Abstract
Malaria remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania, where traditional healers play a crucial role in malaria treatment. Qualitative and ethnographic methods were employed to collect data from interviews with traditional healers, observation of treatment sessions, and documentation of medicinal practices. A notable shift was observed in the proportion of healers incorporating modern antimalarial drugs alongside traditional remedies, reflecting evolving medical knowledge and patient preferences. The study underscores the dynamic nature of traditional medicine use for malaria treatment in Tanzania and highlights the need for further research to understand these changes better. Future studies should consider longitudinal ethnographic approaches to monitor how traditional healers integrate modern treatments into their practices over extended periods. Traditional Healers, Botanical Medicine, Malaria Treatment, Longitudinal Study, Tanzania Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.