Traditional health beliefs and practices related to child diarrheal and sexally-transmitted diseases; Manica Province; Mozambique : research report and communication strategy

ABSTRACT

Using qualitative research methods such as in-depth; key informant interviews and focus group discussion; data was gathered on traditional healers' beliefs and practices associated with diarrhea and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The immediate research objective was to establish an adequate knowledge base to develop a training strategy aimed at traditional healers; in order to improve intersectoral cooperation in the prevention and treatment of child diarrheas and STDs. A more general goal was to provide a model to guide the development of collaborative programs in other health areas such as immunization; material and child health; infectious diseases; or mental illness. A third goal was to demonstrate the value of quick; low-cost anthropological (ethnomedical) research for the development of culturally-sensitive health education strategies and related public health interventions - whether or not there is interest in collaborating with traditional healers