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Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Based on the premise that Africans in rural areas seek health care from traditional healers, this study investigated a collaborative model between traditional healers and the national Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) programs across seven endemic foci in seven central African countries by measuring the model\'s contribution to HAT case finding.
METHODS: Traditional healers were recruited and trained by health professionals to identify HAT suspects based on its basics signs and symptoms and to refer them to the National Sleeping Sickness Control Program (NSSCP) for testing and confirmatory diagnosis.
RESULTS: 35 traditional healers were recruited and trained, 28 finally participated in this study (80%) and referred 278 HAT suspects, of which 20 (7.19%) were CATT positive for the disease. Most cases originated from Bandundu (45%) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and from Ngabe (35%) in Congo. Twelve (4.32%) patients had confirmatory diagnosis. Although a statistically significant difference was not shown in terms of case finding (p = 0.56), traditional healers were able to refer confirmed HAT cases that were ultimately cared for by NCSSPs.
CONCLUSIONS: Integrating traditional healers in the control program of HAT will likely enhance the detection of cases, thereby, eventually contributing to the elimination of HAT in the most affected communities.
METHODS: Traditional healers were recruited and trained by health professionals to identify HAT suspects based on its basics signs and symptoms and to refer them to the National Sleeping Sickness Control Program (NSSCP) for testing and confirmatory diagnosis.
RESULTS: 35 traditional healers were recruited and trained, 28 finally participated in this study (80%) and referred 278 HAT suspects, of which 20 (7.19%) were CATT positive for the disease. Most cases originated from Bandundu (45%) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and from Ngabe (35%) in Congo. Twelve (4.32%) patients had confirmatory diagnosis. Although a statistically significant difference was not shown in terms of case finding (p = 0.56), traditional healers were able to refer confirmed HAT cases that were ultimately cared for by NCSSPs.
CONCLUSIONS: Integrating traditional healers in the control program of HAT will likely enhance the detection of cases, thereby, eventually contributing to the elimination of HAT in the most affected communities.
摘要：
背景：基于农村地区的非洲人从传统治疗师那里寻求医疗保健的前提，这项研究通过测量模型对HAT病例发现的贡献，调查了传统治疗师与国家非洲人类锥虫病（HAT）计划之间的合作模型，该模型涉及7个中部非洲国家的7个地方性病灶。
方法：卫生专业人员招募并培训了传统治疗师，以根据其基本体征和症状识别HAT嫌疑人，并将其转介给国家睡眠疾病控制计划（NSSCP）进行测试和确认诊断。
结果：招募并培训了35名传统治疗师，最终有28人（80％）参加了这项研究，并转介了278名HAT嫌疑人，其中20例（7.19%）为CATT阳性。大多数病例来自刚果民主共和国的班顿杜（45％）和刚果的恩加贝（35％）。12例(4.32%)患者确诊。尽管在病例发现方面没有显示出统计学上的显着差异（p=0.56），传统治疗师能够转诊最终由NCSSP治疗的确诊HAT病例。
结论：将传统治疗师纳入HAT的控制计划可能会增强对病例的检测，因此，最终有助于在受影响最严重的社区消除HAT。
方法：卫生专业人员招募并培训了传统治疗师，以根据其基本体征和症状识别HAT嫌疑人，并将其转介给国家睡眠疾病控制计划（NSSCP）进行测试和确认诊断。
结果：招募并培训了35名传统治疗师，最终有28人（80％）参加了这项研究，并转介了278名HAT嫌疑人，其中20例（7.19%）为CATT阳性。大多数病例来自刚果民主共和国的班顿杜（45％）和刚果的恩加贝（35％）。12例(4.32%)患者确诊。尽管在病例发现方面没有显示出统计学上的显着差异（p=0.56），传统治疗师能够转诊最终由NCSSP治疗的确诊HAT病例。
结论：将传统治疗师纳入HAT的控制计划可能会增强对病例的检测，因此，最终有助于在受影响最严重的社区消除HAT。
