PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: The popular use of traditional medicine in low-income settings has previously been attributed to poverty, lack of education, and insufficient accessibility to conventional health service. However, in many countries, including in Rwanda, the use of traditional medicine is still popular despite the good accessibility and availability of conventional health services. This study aims to explore why traditional medicine is popularly used in Rwanda where it has achieved universal health coverage.
METHODS: The qualitative study, which included in-depth interviews and participant observations, investigated the experience of using traditional medicine as well as the perceived needs and reasons for its use in the Musanze district of northern Rwanda. We recruited 21 participants (15 community members and 6 traditional healers) for in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate common themes and coding schemes.
RESULTS: Our findings suggest that the characteristics of traditional medicine are responding to community members\' health, social and financial needs which are insufficiently met by the current conventional health services. Participants used traditional medicine particularly to deal with culture-specific illness - uburozi. To treat uburozi appropriately, referrals from hospitals to traditional healers took place spontaneously.
CONCLUSIONS: In Rwanda, conventional health services universally cover diseases that are diagnosed by the standard of conventional medicine. However, this universal health coverage may not sufficiently respond patients\' social and financial needs arising from the health needs. Given this, integrating traditional medicine into national health systems, with adequate regulatory framework for quality control, would be beneficial to meet patients\' needs.
METHODS: The qualitative study, which included in-depth interviews and participant observations, investigated the experience of using traditional medicine as well as the perceived needs and reasons for its use in the Musanze district of northern Rwanda. We recruited 21 participants (15 community members and 6 traditional healers) for in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate common themes and coding schemes.
RESULTS: Our findings suggest that the characteristics of traditional medicine are responding to community members\' health, social and financial needs which are insufficiently met by the current conventional health services. Participants used traditional medicine particularly to deal with culture-specific illness - uburozi. To treat uburozi appropriately, referrals from hospitals to traditional healers took place spontaneously.
CONCLUSIONS: In Rwanda, conventional health services universally cover diseases that are diagnosed by the standard of conventional medicine. However, this universal health coverage may not sufficiently respond patients\' social and financial needs arising from the health needs. Given this, integrating traditional medicine into national health systems, with adequate regulatory framework for quality control, would be beneficial to meet patients\' needs.
摘要：
背景：在低收入环境中，传统医学的普遍使用以前被归因于贫困，缺乏教育,以及传统卫生服务的可及性不足。然而,在许多国家,包括在卢旺达，尽管传统卫生服务具有良好的可及性和可用性，但使用传统医学仍然很受欢迎。这项研究旨在探讨为什么传统医学在实现全民健康覆盖的卢旺达广泛使用。
方法：定性研究，其中包括深入访谈和参与者观察，调查了卢旺达北部Musanze地区使用传统医学的经验以及使用传统医学的需求和原因。我们招募了21名参与者（15名社区成员和6名传统治疗师）进行深入访谈。进行了主题分析，以产生共同的主题和编码方案。
结果：我们的研究结果表明，传统医学的特征正在回应社区成员的健康，目前的传统卫生服务无法充分满足的社会和财政需求。参与者使用传统医学特别是处理文化特定的疾病-uburozi。要适当对待乌布罗齐，从医院到传统治疗师的转诊是自发发生的。
结论：在卢旺达，常规卫生服务普遍涵盖按常规医学标准诊断的疾病。然而,这种全民健康覆盖可能不足以满足患者因健康需求而产生的社会和经济需求。鉴于此,将传统医学纳入国家卫生系统，有足够的质量控制监管框架，将有利于满足患者的需求。
方法：定性研究，其中包括深入访谈和参与者观察，调查了卢旺达北部Musanze地区使用传统医学的经验以及使用传统医学的需求和原因。我们招募了21名参与者（15名社区成员和6名传统治疗师）进行深入访谈。进行了主题分析，以产生共同的主题和编码方案。
结果：我们的研究结果表明，传统医学的特征正在回应社区成员的健康，目前的传统卫生服务无法充分满足的社会和财政需求。参与者使用传统医学特别是处理文化特定的疾病-uburozi。要适当对待乌布罗齐，从医院到传统治疗师的转诊是自发发生的。
结论：在卢旺达，常规卫生服务普遍涵盖按常规医学标准诊断的疾病。然而,这种全民健康覆盖可能不足以满足患者因健康需求而产生的社会和经济需求。鉴于此,将传统医学纳入国家卫生系统，有足够的质量控制监管框架，将有利于满足患者的需求。
