Exploring religious, spiritual, traditional, and folk healing practices for oncological disorders

To investigate why cancer patients and their families prefer traditional, spiritual, folk, and religious healer practices over medical treatment, and to explore the various traditional, spiritual, folk, and religious healing practices used to treat oncological disorders.

A descriptive qualitative study design was used. The participants were patients diagnosed with cancer (n = 4), their family members (n = 4), and the healers (n = 4) providing care to these patients. In total, there were twelve participants in this research. A semi-structured, open-ended interview guide was used for the data collection.

Research was conducted in Murree, Kotli Sattian, Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan.

Data analysis of this study showed that factors influencing decision making for the healing practices were resources, such as unavailability of healthcare facilities within the vicinity, distances and limited finances, fear related to a new diagnosis, and cultural influence, including spiritual and religious factors. Furthermore, the types of practices performed by the patients and used by healers to treat oncological disorders were found to be religious, spiritual, traditional, and folk healing practices.

People prefer religious, spiritual, traditional, and folk healing practices for oncological disorders for multiple reasons including cultural belief, lack of resources, inaccessibility of healthcare facilities, and lack of awareness. People use various healing practices that they believe can aid in healing, but this is due to their ignorance. These and many other factors lead to a delay in cancer diagnosis, and it is too late to save their lives. However, religious and spiritual practices can help in enhancing the quality of life when an individual is in a challenging health condition.