Push and pull factors influencing preference for traditional healing by jaundiced patients in Bangladesh.

Autor: Gazi MI; Department of Public Health, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.; Department of Gastroenterology, Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh., Hamid HB; Kamarkhanda Upazila Health Complex, Sirajganj, Bangladesh., Chowdhury ABMA; Department of Public Health, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2024 Nov 01; Vol. 19 (11), pp. e0312962. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Nov 01 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312962
Abstrakt: Background: Jaundice is a significant health issue in Bangladesh. Many patients choose traditional medicine (TM) over conventional medicine (CM) for treating jaundice. This study aimed to identify and analyze the push and pull factors influencing the preferences of jaundiced patients for traditional healing methods in Bangladesh.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used a mixed-methods approach. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 16 participants (8 per group) who had experience of using traditional medicine for jaundice. In-depth interviews with five traditional healers were carried out to gather qualitative insights from the healers' perspectives. Quantitative data were collected from 400 jaundiced patients at a tertiary-level hospital using a semi-structured questionnaire. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were used to analyze associations between sociodemographic factors, push-pull factors, and treatment preferences.
Results: The study found that 62% of participants favored TM for jaundice treatment. The scalp and hand cleansing rituals (46%), herbal remedies (37%), garlanding (23%), and use of talismans or amulets (21%) were the most common practices. Qualitative analysis revealed five push factors, eight pull factors, four intervening obstacles, and five personal factors that influenced jaundiced patients' preference for TM. Patients also emphasized the significance of spiritual and emotional aspects in their decision-making process when choosing TM. Significant associations were observed between treatment preference and age group (p = 0.002), residence (p = 0.018), education level (p<0.001), and religion (p = 0.015). Individuals aged 50 years and above (70.9%), rural residents (68%), and those with no or primary education (72%) were more likely to opt for TM. Key push factors towards TM included high costs of CM (OR: 6.80, 95% CI: 2.10-22.04) and perceived ineffectiveness of CM. Strong pull factors were accessibility of TM (OR: 11.18, 95% CI: 4.03-31.00), perceived effectiveness of TM (OR: 3.45, 95% CI: 1.05-11.37), personal testimonials (OR: 7.55, 95% CI: 2.75-20.69), lower costs of TM (OR: 10.48, 95% CI: 4.30-25.54) and lack of information about conventional treatments for jaundice (OR: 13.82, 95% CI: 4.62-41.33).
Conclusion: The study reveals that both push and pull factors influence jaundiced patients in Bangladesh to choose TM over CM, with decisions shaped by personal, socioeconomic, and geographical factors.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
(Copyright: © 2024 Gazi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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