Facilitators and barriers to traditional medicine use among cancer patients in Malawi
Public Deposited- Creator
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Hill, J.
- Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Seguin, R.
- Other Affiliation: Malawi Cancer Consortium
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Phanga, T.
- Other Affiliation: Malawi Cancer Consortium
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Manda, A.
- Other Affiliation: Malawi Cancer Consortium
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Chikasema, M.
- Other Affiliation: Malawi Cancer Consortium
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Gopal, S.
- Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Smith, J.S.
- Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Abstract
- Background Increasing access to conventional cancer treatment (CT) in low-income countries (LICs) is an important public health initiative to address the global burden of cancer. However, LICs have a high prevalence of use of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM). It is important to consider the factors that influence a patient’s choice to use T&CM, CT, or both for their cancer treatment. Methods We conducted focus groups among adult cancer patients in Lilongwe, Malawi to identify facilitators and barriers of T&CM use. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, translated, and underwent thematic content analysis. Results Cultural norms, T&CM access, T&CM success, and CT failure were all identified as facilitators to T&CM use. CT success and T&CM failure were identified as barriers. Access and norms appear to determine initial treatment selection, while treatment outcomes dictate continued use of T&CM or CT. Conclusion This study identified a pragmatic and experience-based treatment selection process that aligns with the social cognitive theory of behavior and assists in comprehending the factors that influence T&CM use among cancer patients in a low resource setting.
- Date of publication
- 2019
- Keyword
- information processing
- genetic transcription
- Malawi
- adult
- female
- article
- traditional medicine
- Young Adult
- Female
- prognosis
- pathology
- cancer therapy
- Health Services Accessibility
- Focus Groups
- Social Cognitive Theory
- alternative medicine
- Middle Aged
- controlled study
- young adult
- Neoplasms
- middle aged
- Humans
- Adult
- adolescent
- Male
- cancer patient
- epidemiology
- Adolescent
- Medicine, Traditional
- Complementary Therapies
- male
- Prognosis
- health care delivery
- content analysis
- neoplasm
- human
- procedures
- DOI
- Identifier
- Resource type
- Article
- License
- Attribution 4.0 International
- Journal title
- PLoS ONE
- Journal volume
- 14
- Journal issue
- 10
- Language
- English
- Version
- Publisher
- Funder
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NCCIH: T32AT003378
- University of North Carolina, UNC: 5T32AT003378-12
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
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