Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Educational Intervention Increased Referrals to Allopathic Care by Traditional Healers in Three High HIV-Prevalence Rural Districts in Mozambique
PLoS ONE, Volume 8, No. 8, Article e70326, Year 2013
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Introduction:Delayed uptake of clinical services impedes favorable clinical outcomes in Mozambique. Care is delayed among patients who initiate care with traditional healers; patients with conditions like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or tuberculosis are rarely referred to the health system in a timely fashion.Methods:We conducted a pre-post educational intervention with traditional healers, assessing healer referral rates and HIV knowledge in three rural districts in Zambézia Province.Results:The median monthly referral rate prior to the intervention was 0.25 patients (interquartile range [IQR]: 0-0.54) compared with a post-intervention rate of 0.34 patients (IQR: 0-0.71), a 35% increase (p = 0.046). A median HIV knowledge score of 67% (IQR: 59-78) was noted 4-months pre-intervention and a median score of 81% (IQR: 74-89) was recorded 21/2 months post-intervention (p<0.001). One hundred and eleven healers referred 127 adults, 36 pregnant women, and 188 children to health facilities. Referred patients were most likely to be diagnosed with bronchopneumonia (20% adults; 13% children) and/or malaria (15% adults; 37% children). Of 315 non-pregnant persons referred, 3.5% were tested for HIV and 2.5% were tested for tuberculosis.Discussion:We engaged traditional healers with some success; referral rates were low, but increased post-intervention. Once seen in the clinics, patients were rarely tested for HIV or tuberculosis, though symptoms suggested screening was indicated. We found increased referral rates through an inexpensive intervention with traditional healers, a viable, cost-effective method of directing patients to health facilities. However, quality improvement within the clinics is necessary before a substantial impact can be expected. © 2013 Audet et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Audet, Carolyn M.
United States, Nashville
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Salato, José
Mozambique, Quelimane
Friends in Global Health
Blevins, Meridith L.
United States, Nashville
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Amsalem, David A.
United States, Nashville
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Vermund, Sten Havlor
United States, Nashville
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Mozambique, Quelimane
Friends in Global Health
Gaspar, Felisbela
Mozambique, Maputo
Ministério da Saúde
Statistics
Citations: 47
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0070326
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Randomised Control Trial
Cross Sectional Study
Study Locations
Mozambique
Participants Gender
Female