Traditional Health Practitioners in Indonesia: Their Profile, Practice and Treatment Characteristics

The demand for traditional health care is rising. The study aims to investigate the profile, practice and treatment characteristics of traditional health practitioners who participated in the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS-5) in 2015.

A national community facility cross-sectional survey was carried out with a probability sample of 4,461 traditional health practitioners in Indonesia.

Traditional health practitioners were typically female, over 50 years old, had no or lower levels of education, worked only as a healer, saw 8 patients a week and consulted for 60 min per patient. The most common treatment types provided included massage for babies (71.4%), followed by massage (reflexive massage) (25.6%), herbal remedies (23.4%), and delivery (22.0%). Many claimed to cure or solve the problems of stomachache or diarrhea (67.7%), flu or headache (64.7%), pain during pregnancy (52.0%), rheumatism (36.4%), and insomnia, stress or nervousness (35.5%). In adjusted logistic regression analysis, younger age, being male, having completed grades 1-6, urban residence, more years of practice, lower average consultation time, using tools or equipment, providing herbal remedies, and charging service fees were associated with high patient throughput.

Our analysis provides insights into the profile, practice and treatment characteristics of traditional health practitioners in Indonesia. Sociodemographic, practice and treatment characteristics are accountable for a high patient throughput.