Sociodemographic Characteristics of Traditional Healers and Their Knowledge of Noma: A Descriptive Survey in Three Regions of Mali

Denise Baratti-Mayer, Moussa Baba Daou, Angèle Gayet-Ageron, Emilien Jeannot and Brigitte Pittet-Cuénod
Additional contact information
Denise Baratti-Mayer: Service of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Moussa Baba Daou: Centre Hirzel, 91093 Bamako, Mali
Angèle Gayet-Ageron: Geneva Study Group on Noma (GESNOMA), University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Emilien Jeannot: Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Brigitte Pittet-Cuénod: Service of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-11

Abstract: Background : Noma can be a lethal disease and causes disfigurement in young children in low-resource countries, particularly in Africa. In these settings, 80% of the population mainly consult traditional healers for healthcare problems. Our study aimed to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of traditional healers and to assess their knowledge of noma. Methods : We conducted a survey among traditional healers in three Malian regions from May 2015 to January 2016 and collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, professional activity, knowledge, and experience of noma and collaboration with modern medicine. Results : Among 770 traditional healers invited to participate, 732 responded (95%) (mean age, 54.5 years). Most were illiterate (66.3%), which was associated with older age ( p < 0.001). Although they treated all types of disease, only 10.5% had some knowledge of noma, with regional differences ( p < 0.001). Conclusion : Noma is poorly known among traditional healers, especially in remote areas. Our findings suggest a lack of interest among young people for traditional medicine, implying an imminent decrease of healers, and thus the need for national health systems to strengthen and promote access to modern health care. Training programmes to improve the early diagnosis referral of noma patients should include all types of primary health workers.

Keywords: access to health; cancrum oris; Noma; traditional healers; traditional medicine; west Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/22/4587/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/22/4587/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:22:p:4587-:d:288709

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().