The role of the African traditional healer in women's health.

Traditional healers provide an important link between the rural people of Africa and primary health care. The purpose of this article is to review more recent literature and contemporary practices related to the role of the traditional healer in Africa and the move toward collaboration with an introduction of Western-style medicine and health care, especially for women. African women, particularly older ones in rural communities, utilize the traditional healer's timeless and ancient caregiving when faced with symptoms of mental and physical illness. The concept of training traditional healers and medical personnel to deliver traditional and Western health care to communities requires further consideration and a plan of implementation.

Lead screening: for the child's sake.

Lead poisoning in children can be devastating to their cognitive and behavioral development. This tragedy can be prevented with information to parents and physicians. This article summarizes the effects of lead poisoning and provides a literature review of previous studies on how often and on whom physicians should conduct blood lead level screenings. It also gives the guidelines for conducting screenings and how to process and treat the results. Health care providers are encouraged to use these guidelines for conducting screenings and follow the recommendations provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.