Cultural Beliefs and Health-Seeking Behavior: A Qualitative Study of Traditional vs. Modern Medicine in Marginalized Communities
Keywords:
Cultural beliefs, health-seeking behavior, traditional medicine, marginalized communities, healthcare accessAbstract
Background: Cultural beliefs play a pivotal role in shaping health-seeking behaviors, particularly within marginalized communities where traditional practices often coexist with modern medicine. Understanding these cultural dynamics is essential for developing equitable and accessible healthcare systems.
Objective: To explore the influence of cultural beliefs on health-seeking behaviors in marginalized communities, focusing on the preference and interplay between traditional and modern medicine.
Methods: The qualitative research design was used, and it was based on the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with the traditional healers, members of the community, and healthcare providers. The thematic analysis was used to extract patterns that concerned healthcare decision-making and the socio-cultural factors that affected decision making.
Results: The results showed that there was a high dependence on traditional medicine because of the cultural fit, low cost, and accessibility especially in the rural region. Conversely, the use of modern healthcare was constrained by the lack of trust, increased cost, and physical inaccessibility. A good percentage of the respondents said they would rather a hybrid system incorporating both traditional and modern medical care to get better health results.
Conclusion: The paper recommends the need to develop culturally competent healthcare policies that respect traditional belief systems and overcome systemic obstacles to the provision of modern healthcare. Traditional and biomedical health system collaboration frameworks have the potential to improve trust, inclusiveness and overall efficacy of healthcare delivery among marginalized populations.
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