Epilepsy, Culture, and Care: A Policy Analysis of Treatment-Seeking Pathways in Rural Cameroon

This policy analysis examines the critical disjuncture between biomedical frameworks and cultural understandings of epilepsy in Cameroon, and its detrimental impact on treatment-seeking pathways. The research problem centres on how deeply held cultural beliefs, which often attribute epilepsy to spiritual causes, directly influence health-seeking behaviours, frequently delaying access to essential biomedical care. The methodology comprised a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature, government health policy documents, and non-governmental organisation reports from 2015 to 2023, analysed through a policy lens informed by critical medical anthropology. Key findings reveal a persistent, dualistic healthcare journey where individuals and families initially seek traditional or faith-based healing, viewing epilepsy as a spiritual affliction, before considering clinical services, often at advanced stages of the condition. This pathway is exacerbated by a policy environment that inadequately integrates cultural competence into national epilepsy programmes and suffers from a severe shortage of neurological resources, particularly in rural areas. The analysis argues that current policy fails to bridge this cultural gap, perpetuating poor health outcomes and increased stigma. The significance of this work lies in its proposal for a culturally responsive policy reform. This mandates structured collaboration with traditional healers and religious leaders within the public health strategy, alongside dedicated training for community health workers. Such a culturally informed, African-centred approach is posited as essential for developing effective, equitable epilepsy care that respects local cosmologies while improving timely access to biomedical treatment.