Intellectual Disability Support: Traditional Healers' Views on Collaboration with Western-Trained Healthcare...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Anthropology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Intellectual Disability (ID) is a prevalent developmental impairment affecting intellectual, social, and adaptive functioning, posing a significant public health challenge.
• Under-resourced communities, like Khayelitsha, South Africa, experience high ID prevalence alongside substantial barriers to accessing biopsychosocial support.
• Traditional healers are community resources who may bridge gaps in ID support, particularly in areas with limited Western healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore traditional healers' perspectives on collaborating with Western-trained healthcare practitioners for Intellectual Disability (ID) support.
• To identify barriers and facilitators influencing the potential collaboration between traditional healers and Western healthcare providers in ID care.
• To understand how synergised ID support can be achieved within community contexts.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing a phenomenological approach and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems theory.
• Conducted 25 semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion with traditional healers.
• Thematic analysis of 11 interviews and the focus group data using Braun and Clarke's six-step method.

Main Results:

• Seven key themes emerged, categorized into barriers (divergent healing practices, systemic disparities, biases) and facilitators (rapport building, collaborative systems, resource access).
• Traditional healers perceive collaboration as a sensible approach to enhance support for children with ID.
• Challenges to collaboration include differing healing modalities and systemic inequities that disadvantage traditional healers.

Conclusions:

• Collaboration between traditional healers and Western practitioners is viewed as beneficial for synergised Intellectual Disability (ID) support.
• Addressing identified barriers, such as systemic disparities and biases, is crucial for successful integration of traditional and Western healthcare approaches.
• Future research should focus on community-based ID collaboration, documenting traditional practices, and advocating for policy changes to rectify systemic inequities.