Bonesetter interventions and consequences.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Public Health

Background:

• Delayed treatment of bone and tendon injuries can lead to severe complications.
• Bonesetter interventions contribute to significant treatment delays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the medical outcomes associated with delayed treatment due to bonesetter intervention.
• To identify factors influencing patient preference for bonesetters over conventional medical care.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 162 outpatients treated between January 2010 and December 2012.
• Inclusion of patient demographics, clinical outcomes, and social factors.
• Evaluation of outcomes using clinical examinations and radiological screening.

Main Results:

• A majority of patients (59.8%) were male, with a mean age of 27.5 years.
• Rural populations and those with lower education levels or unemployment showed a preference for bonesetters.
• Reasons cited for preference included prolonged treatment duration and fear of disability, with a 33.9% complication rate in hospital-evaluated patients.

Conclusions:

• Bonesetting remains a prevalent, yet medically unreliable, alternative treatment in Turkey, particularly among less educated populations.
• Improving education levels and public health information dissemination are crucial to mitigate complications from bonesetter interventions.