Traditional and alternative therapy for mental illness in Jamaica: Patients' conceptions and practitioners' attitudes

African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines

Volumn 9, Issue 1, 2012, Pages

  James, Caryl C A B ^a   Peltzer, Karl ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES   (Jamaica)

^b UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO   (South Africa)

Author keywords

Alternative medicine; Attitude; Conceptions of illness; Jamaica; Psychiatric patients; Psychiatric practitioners; Traditional medicine

Indexed keywords

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; AGED; ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE; ARTICLE; ATTITUDE TO HEALTH; ATTITUDE TO MENTAL ILLNESS; CONTROLLED STUDY; DISTRESS SYNDROME; DOCTOR PATIENT RELATION; FAMILY HISTORY; FEMALE; HEALTH BELIEF; HUMAN; INTERVIEW; JAMAICA; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; MALE; MENTAL DISEASE; NURSE ATTITUDE; OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONNAIRE; PATIENT ATTITUDE; PATIENT PARTICIPATION; PATIENT SATISFACTION; PHYSICIAN ATTITUDE; PSYCHIATRIST; PSYCHOLOGIST; PSYCHOTHERAPY; SHORT EXPLANATORY MODEL INTERVIEW; SMOKING; SPIRITUAL HEALING; TRADITIONAL MEDICINE; CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY; HEALTH PERSONNEL ATTITUDE; MENTAL DISORDERS; MENTAL STRESS; MIDDLE AGED; NURSE; PHYTOTHERAPY; PSYCHIATRY; PSYCHOLOGY; QUESTIONNAIRE; YOUNG ADULT;

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; AGED; ATTITUDE OF HEALTH PERSONNEL; COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES; CULTURE; FAITH HEALING; FEMALE; HEALTH KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, PRACTICE; HUMANS; INTERVIEWS AS TOPIC; JAMAICA; MALE; MEDICINE, TRADITIONAL; MENTAL DISORDERS; MIDDLE AGED; NURSES; PATIENT SATISFACTION; PHYTOTHERAPY; PSYCHIATRY; PSYCHOLOGY; QUESTIONNAIRES; STRESS, PSYCHOLOGICAL; YOUNG ADULT;

EID: 84897364983     PISSN: None     EISSN: 01896016     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.4314/ajtcam.v9i1.14     Document Type: Article

References (24)

1. Abbo, C., Ekblad, S., Waako, P., Okello, E. and Musisi, S. (2009). The prevalence and severity of mental illnesses handled by traditional healers in two districts in Uganda. Afr Health Sci, 9 Suppl 1: S16-22.
2. Beaubrun, M.H. (1966). Psychiatric education for the Caribbean. West Indian Med J, 15: 52-62.
3. Bhui, K. and Bhugra, D. (2002). Explanatory models for mental distress: implications for clinical practice and research. Br J Psychiatry, 181:6-7. doi: 10.1192/bjp.181.1.6.
4. Boucher TA & Lenz SK. (1998). An organization survey of physicians' attitudes and practice of alternative and complementary medicine. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 4(6), 59-65.
5. Campion, J. and Bhugra, D. (1997). Experiences of religious healing in psychiatric patients in south India. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 32(4):215-21.
6. Giffiths, E.E.H. (1983). The significance of ritual in a Church-Based healing model. Am J Psychiatry, 140: 5-24.
7. Hayes, M. and Watrall, E. (2000). The Asclepion. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
8. Hickling, F.W. (1975). Psychiatric care in a general hospital unit in Jamaica. West Indian Med J, 24: 635-37.
9. James, C. (2008). Counting spirits with my fellow travellers. Opposing worldviews: Western and Traditional medicine. Kingston, Jamaica: PhD Thesis, The University of the West Indies.
10. James, C., Weaver, S. and Morgan, K. (2004). Psychiatric patient's evaluation of the efficacy of traditional medicine versus western medicine. Kingston, Jamaica: Master's thesis, The University of West Indies.
11. Jorm, F.A. (2000). Mental health literacy. Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. Br J Psychiatry, 177: 296-401.
12. Kiev, A. (1963). Beliefs and delusions of West Indian migrants to London. Br J Psychiatry, 109:460: 356-63.
13. Llyod, R.K., Jacob, S.K., Patel, V., Louis S.T.L., Bhugra, D. and Mann, A.H. (1998). The development of the short explanatory model interview (SEMI) and its use among primary-care attenders with mental disorders. Psychol Med, 26: 1231- 1237.
14. Miller, W.R. and Thoresen, C.E. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health. An emerging research field. Am Psychol, 58(1): 24-35.
15. Ministry of Justice (2006). Obeah Act. Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://www.moj.gov.jm/law/search?page=5&lawSearch=Criminal%20Justice
16. Peltzer, K. (2001). Attitudes of physicians toward traditional healing, faith healing and alternative medicine in rural South Africa. Geneeskunde - The Medicine Journal, 43(7): 35-42.
17. Peltzer, K. and Machleidt, W. (1992). A traditional (African) approach towards the therapy of schizophrenia and its comparison with western models. Therapeutic Communities, 13: 4-18.
18. Rowe, M.M. and Allen, R.G. (2003). Spirituality as a means of coping with chronic illness. Am J Health Stud, 19(1): 62-66.
19. Sumathipala, A., Siribaddana, S., Hewege, S., Sumathipala, K., Prince, M. and Mann, A. (2008). Understanding the explanatory model of the patient on their medically unexplained symptoms and its implication on treatment development research: a Sri Lanka Study. BMC Psychiatry, 8;8:54.
20. Sharif, S.A. and Ogunbanjo, G.A. (2003). Non-compliance to treatment among patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses in Mmametlhake health district, South Africa. S Afr Family Practice, 45(4):10-13.
21. Simon, R.C. and Pardes, H. (1977). Understanding human behaviour in health and illness. New York: The Williams and Wilkins Company. Waverly Press INC.
22. Weaver, S. (2003). Health and illness in rural community. A study of traditional healthcare practices in the parish of St. Thomas. Kingston: PhD thesis. The University of the West Indies.
23. Wedenoja, W. (1983). Jamaican psychiatry. Transcultural Psychiatry, 20: 233.
24. Wittkower, D.E. (1970). Transcultural psychiatry in the Caribbean: Past, present and future. Am J Psychiatry, 127: 162-166.