Birhanu, Ribka (2014) Collaboration between Spiritual (Holy Water) Treatment and Biomedical Treatment at St. Mary Church Outreach Program, Entoto: Pattern of Service Utilization and Attitude of Holy Water Attendants. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
Introduction: The explanation for mental illness in Ethiopia is mainly supernatural .That is why the majority of mentally ill people go to spiritual treatments, mainly holy water treatments. The benefits of collaboration between biomedical services and holy water sites are many, including early detection and treatment of mental illness. The St. Mary outreach program aims to help mentally ill people at the St. Mary and St. Michael holy water sites by taking the bio-medical treatment near them. This is done by volunteer Addis Ababa University (AAU) residents. Methods: This is a mixed quantitative and qualitative study. Study 1: Descriptive evaluation of psychiatric patients that have attended the St. Mary outreach program, Entoto from December of 2011 up to July of 2014. A data extraction form was used to extrat data from patient charts. Data was analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Study 2: A qualitative study of the holy water attendants ’ attitudes and role was conducted from September to October of 2014. A semi-structured interview was conducted using a topic guide. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and coded manually. A thematic analysis was conducted. Result: Study 1: A total of 174 charts were analyzed. The m ean number of patients seen per clinic session have increased by 50 %( 14) in 2005, then by 75 %( 25) in 2006. 79.3% were men, 73.3% had schizophrenia, 89.6% were educated and 61.7% came from Addis Ababa. Study 2: The roles of the holy water attendants include ensuring the hygiene, security and medication adherence of patients . They also act as gatekeepers to the St Mary Clinic. There are two main attitudes towards treatment: both treatments are from God and we should use both and they contradict because using both is like doubting God. The other attitude is they complement each other. The attitude of the attendants towards biomedical treatment is changing since the training from AAU psychiatrists. The attendants have their own way of differentiating who should come to the clinic and who should not. They bring patients who they consider mentally ill but they don’t bring people who have mental illness and spirit possession. Conclusion: The conclusion of the study is that it is possible to collaborate between spiritual treatment and biomedical treatment. Recommendation: To continue having trainings for the attendants and community awareness campaigns focusing on family members of people with mental illness .
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Emmanuel Ndorimana |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Nov 2018 11:01 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Nov 2018 11:01 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/7880 |
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