What is it about?
Our review highlights a relatively high use of TCAM alone or in combination with orthodox medicine, in both the general population and in specific health conditions in Africa. TCAM is used due to its perceived low cost, alignment of TCAM with sociocultural, religious and spiritual values, and dissatisfaction with conventional healthcare. Non-disclosure of TCAM use to healthcare providers is common among TCAM users in SSA, primarily due to the fear of receiving improper care from hospitals, negative attitude of healthcare providers towards TCAM and a lack of enquiry about TCAM use from healthcare providers.
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Why is it important?
Our review reports findings from the first comprehensive critical review of the prevalence of TCAM use alone and in combination with conventional medicine, sociodemographic characteristics of TCAM users, motivators of and barriers to TCAM use, safety and cost associated with TCAM use, as well as details around non-disclosure of TCAM use to health providers. Health departments and governments across the region need to consider and familiarise themselves with the current role of TCAM and its future possibilities within the wider healthcare system.
Perspectives
Assumptions about use in Sub-Saharan African have shaped lots of existing WHO and NGO policy, and among those assumptions is the belief that its use is because of poor access to "conventional medicine". But our research shows that even as conventional health services become more prevalent, TCAM use also increases, TCAM is often an afterthought in health policy discussions in Sub-Saharan Africa and that should not be the case. Our research has highlighted the critical role TCAM continues to play in providing primary healthcare across the continent.
Dr Peter B James
Southern Cross University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review, BMJ Global Health, October 2018, BMJ,
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000895.
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