Abstract
Background:: The understanding and management of neurological disorders is undergoing revolutionary changes over the last three decades in the background of ever increasing advances in medical technologies, diagnostic techniques, therapeutic processes and, molecular and genetic medicine. The fruits of these advances can reach patients only if the psychosocial hurdles in their delivery are identified, acknowledged and addressed. Aim:: To explore the beliefs and practices of patients with neurological disorders in a tertiary care center in the eastern Nepal. Materials and Methods:: One hundred patients attending neurology/medicine outpatient for neurological disorders were interviewed about their beliefs regarding the triggering factors, causation and treatment-seeking behavior particularly from traditional healers. Result:: Of the 100 patients (49 males, 51 females) recruited in the study, 51% expressed having no idea about their illness. Only 20% patients gave medically congruent explanation for their illness. Psychological factors were attributed as triggering factors by 16% of patients, of which two-thirds were females. Chance, destiny and jadu tona topped the list of triggering factors. Forty-four percent patients had sought help of traditional faith healers (Dhami Jhakri) before seeking medical help. Traditional faith healers were approached by patients irrespective of their educational background. Fifty-nine percent of patients who first sought traditional faith healers, believed in jadu-tona. Of those interviewed, 16% were planning to go to a faith healer in near future. Conclusion:: The beliefs of patients with neurological disorders frequently do not conform to current medical opinion. There is need for greater communication and education of patients by their treating physicians.
Copyright
Association for Helping Neurosurgical Sick People. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Derivative-Non Commercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit.
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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License, which permits unrestricted reproduction and distribution, for non-commercial purposes only; and use and reproduction, but not distribution, of adapted material for non-commercial purposes only, provided the original work is properly cited.
