Traditional health-seeking behaviour of children’s caregivers in a township in the City of Tshwane, South Africa

Abstract

Approximately 80% of individuals use traditional healthcare practices in South Africa. Traditional healthcare is sometimes the first line of treatment before seeking allopathic healthcare. However, traditional child healthcare practices are not widely documented, especially in the context of a township in Tshwane, South Africa. This study explored children’s caregivers’ health-seeking behaviour for traditional child healthcare and its potential continued future use in a township in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. An exploratory qualitative design and convenient sampling method were used to select 15 caregivers from two clinics in the township who were interviewed. Based on content analysis, results showed that more than half of caregivers interviewed sought traditional healthcare practices to promote child health. Several reasons were offered to support the extent of use and the potential for future use of traditional child health practices among the participants. There was evidence concerning the use of both traditional and allopathic healthcare practices to promote children’s well-being. Traditional healthcare practices were used for treatments normally not rendered in clinics and hospitals to supplement such services or as an alternate mode of treatment. Although the use of traditional health practices in Africa has existed for decades, the health-seeking behaviours of such practices for child health in a township in Tshwane, South Africa are not known.