PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the reasons, extent, and impact of traditional medicine use among people with epilepsy (PWE) in the Republic of Guinea. METHODS: Guinea is a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with limited healthcare resources. People with epilepsy and their caregivers were seen at a public referral hospital in Conakry, the capital city, where they completed semi-structured interviews with physicians regarding their beliefs about epilepsy, medical care, and engagement with traditional healers. RESULTS: Of 132 participants (49% children, 44% female, 55% with a university-educated head of household), 79% had seen a traditional healer, and 71% saw a traditional healer before seeing a medical provider for their epilepsy. Participants were treated by a traditional healer for a mean of 39 months before seeing a medical provider. By contrast, 58% of participants reported taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) regularly; 46% reported having undergone a head computed tomography (CT) scan; 58% reported having had an electroencephalogram, and 4% reported having had a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional healers in Guinea provide frontline care for PWE in Guinea with considerable delays in AED initiation, even among a cohort of PWE actively seeking medical care. Engaging with these healers is critical for both influencing community perceptions and appropriately managing epilepsy throughout the country.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the reasons, extent, and impact of traditional medicine use among people with epilepsy (PWE) in the Republic of Guinea. METHODS: Guinea is a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with limited healthcare resources. People with epilepsy and their caregivers were seen at a public referral hospital in Conakry, the capital city, where they completed semi-structured interviews with physicians regarding their beliefs about epilepsy, medical care, and engagement with traditional healers. RESULTS: Of 132 participants (49% children, 44% female, 55% with a university-educated head of household), 79% had seen a traditional healer, and 71% saw a traditional healer before seeing a medical provider for their epilepsy. Participants were treated by a traditional healer for a mean of 39 months before seeing a medical provider. By contrast, 58% of participants reported taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) regularly; 46% reported having undergone a head computed tomography (CT) scan; 58% reported having had an electroencephalogram, and 4% reported having had a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional healers in Guinea provide frontline care for PWE in Guinea with considerable delays in AED initiation, even among a cohort of PWE actively seeking medical care. Engaging with these healers is critical for both influencing community perceptions and appropriately managing epilepsy throughout the country.
Authors: Peter Dedeken; Fidele Sebera; Sylvestre Mutungirehe; Ieme Garrez; Josiane Umwiringirwa; Frank Van Steenkiste; Paul A J M Boon; Dirk E Teuwen Journal: Brain Behav Date: 2021-10-17 Impact factor: 2.708
Authors: E Sokolov; D H Abdoul Bachir; F Sakadi; J Williams; A C Vogel; M Schaekermann; N Tassiou; A K Bah; V Khatri; G C Hotan; N Ayub; E Leung; T A Fantaneanu; A Patel; M Vyas; T Milligan; M F Villamar; D Hoch; S Purves; B Esmaeili; M Stanley; T Lehn-Schioler; J Tellez-Zenteno; E Gonzalez-Giraldo; I Tolokh; L Heidarian; L Worden; N Jadeja; S Fridinger; L Lee; E Law; C Fodé Abass; F J Mateen Journal: Eur J Neurol Date: 2020-05-30 Impact factor: 6.089