The Use of Traditional Medicine in the Caribbean Essay Free Essay Example

Traditional Medicine- Systems of medical specialty developed before the epoch of modern medical specialty. based on cultural beliefs and hereditary patterns. Modern Medicine-Medicine as practiced by holders of M. D ( medical physician ) . Other footings includes: allopathic medical specialty ; western medical specialty ; mainstream medical specialty ; Orthodox medical specialty ; regular medical specialty and biomedicine. Acupuncture- a medical intervention from China that involves seting crisp thin acerate leafs into the organic structure at really specific points. Naturopathy- a system of medical intervention that treats illness by natural methods such as exerting and commanding the nutrient you eat.

Reflexology- a signifier of alternate medical specialty in which the colloidal suspensions of the pess are massaged.

Complementary or Alternative Medicine ( CAM ) -any scope of medical therapies that fall beyond the range of conventional medical specialty but may be used alongside it in the intervention of disease. Reiki- a Nipponese healing technique based on the rule that the healer can impart energy into the patient by agencies of touch to trip the natural healing procedure.

Integrative medicine-relationship-based attention that combines mainstream and complementary therapies to advance wellness for the whole individual in the context of his or her household and community ( The American Academy of Pediatrics. 2008 ) .

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the motivational factors responsible for the usage of Traditional Medicine in the territory of St. Augustine?

2. Is Traditional Medicine a first pick of wellness attention for St. Augustine occupants?

3. What are the utilizations of the chief Traditional Medicine used in St. Augustine?

4. Make occupants believe that Traditional Medicine regards their usage of modern medical specialty?

5. What solutions may be implemented to make an incorporate attack to wellness attention for the benefit of occupants?

DATA COLLECTION SOURCES

The survey conducted employed the usage of both primary and secondary beginnings of informations.

The primary beginnings were the study and personal interviews.

These were used to roll up both quantitative informations ( any information which can be counted or expressed numerically ) and qualitative informations ( any informations that may be described in a non-numerical mode ) . The sample population was drawn from occupants of St. Augustine. Households were selected utilizing graded random trying. this being the most convenient method for the research worker. This allowed the sample to be smaller. indifferent. and valid and more accurately represent the full population of St. Augustine. which was necessary for objectiveness and dependability of the survey. The study comprised 20 questionnaires. each holding 11 varied inquiries ( See Appendix Four ) . The questionnaires were given out to 20 persons. completed and returned to the research worker instantly.

Therefore all 20 questionnaires were collected. The questionnaires were distributed between the 25th and 29th January. 2013. Quantitative information was obtained through limited reply and qualitative informations through unfastened ended inquiries. In order to acquire a deeper penetration into the issue of the usage of TM in St. Augustine and a wider apprehension of the place of the different stakeholders in the field of Traditional Medicine. personal interviews ( See Appendix Five ) were conducted between December 2012 and January 2013. Interviewees included an alternate medical specialty practician. a Trinidadian medical pupil at the Canadian College of Naturopathy. a member of the Hindu community and a member of the Seventh Day Adventist community.

These interviews gave greater significance and apprehension to the research literature every bit good as lucidity into the existent usage of Traditional Medicine in St. Augustine. The secondary beginnings of informations used included international and regional research articles and books on similar surveies to the one being conducted. Quantitative informations obtained included statistics associating to the usage of Traditional Medicine and its users. taken from anterior surveies. Qualitative information obtained included studies on old surveies similar to the one being conducted. used as mentions and articles for the Literature Review.

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

The usage of complementary and alternate medical specialty in modern medical specialty has grown dramatically in the last 10 old ages. Many alternate therapies. such as herbal redresss. are mainstream or traditional in many parts of the universe. The territory of St. Augustine. located in north-western Trinidad ( See Appendix Two ) . of which I have lived for the last 18 old ages. is place to many mainstream medical patterns. an alternate medical specialty clinic. herbal stores every bit good as the central offices of two spiritual organisations which promote Traditional Medicine-The Sanatan Dharma Maha Saba and the Seventh Day Adventist. The intent of this survey is to look into the usage of Traditional Medicine in such an urban environment and offer solutions for an incorporate attack to wellness attention.

VALUE OF RESEARCH

The educational value of this research is to look into the usage of Traditional Medicine in an urban country as a well-thought-of option or complimentary option. Analysis of such research would offer dividends at a personal. fraternal and community degree. Personal value would accrue to my ain chase of a calling in medical specialty and its impact on the chance of advancing an integrated attack to wellness attention. Community value would be through the handiness of the findings to individuals seeking some signifier of medical intercession. Fraternal benefits are available to persons and groups interested in the issue of the usage of traditional medical specialty as co-treatment for unwellnesss in an urban scene for illustration: medical pupils ; physicians ; sociologists ; and functionaries of the Ministry of Health.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The usage of Traditional Medicine in the urban territory of St. Augustine. Trinidad over the last 10 old ages.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

St. Augustine. a territory along the urban corridor of the Eastern Main Road. Trinidad. has over the last 10 old ages witnessed the growing of Traditional Medicine concerns which claim to offer mending solutions unlike that of modern medical specialty. They promote their merchandises and services by hebdomadal wireless programmes. hoardings and particular discounted offers ( See Appendix Three ) . The occupants of St. Augustine are hence availing themselves to these services.

LITERATURE REVIEW

F. McKenna and F. Killoury ( 2010 ) in An Probe into the usage of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in an Urban General Practice conducted in Dublin. Ireland utilizing a study and archival research found a high rate of the usage of alternate medical specialty practicians. The most popular services included massage. stylostixis and Reiki. The most common ground for alternate medical specialty usage was to handle an unwellness which modern medical specialty was already sought while personal recommendation was the most of import beginning of information. The research workers advocate greater clinical and empirical surveies to show clear guidelines to the populace. H. T. Debas. R. Laxminarayan and S. E. Straus ( 2006 ) in their book. Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. analyze the usage. economic sciences and development of alternate medical specialty establishing their research on archival research. They note that the usage of Traditional Medicine is higher among patients with chronic conditions. They besides note that while Traditional Medicine is a inexpensive option. economic sciences is seldom the primary motivational factor- assurance in the intervention. easiness of entree and convenience and lowered incidence and costs of side effects rank higher.

Their research indicates that it is a misconception that the hapless and uneducated are more likely to utilize traditional medical specialty. D. F. Aarons ( 1999 ) in his article Health Care Priorities in the Caribbean. cites the non-existence of Modern Medicine in some rural communities. high cost of medical attention in urban centres. undependable public wellness clinics. personal beliefs. religious waking up and unavailability to physicians as the grounds why Caribbean people resort to Traditional Medicine. He notes in Jamaica. Traditional Medicine services in herbal therapy. stylostixis and reflexology are being used and Traditional Medicine usage has spread from rural to urban countries. Some physicians are even offering alternate medical specialty services utilizing an integrated attack to pull more patients. He notes that autochthonal beliefs and mending systems like Obeah in Trinidad drama of import parts. but Traditional Medicine has no official acknowledgment by either authoritiess or the medical fraternity. K. Sydara. S. Gneunphonsavath. R. Wahlstrom. S. Freudenthal. K. Houamboun. G. Tomson and T. Freudenthal ( 2005 ) in The Use of Traditional Medicine in Lao PDR. analyze the attitudes of rural and urban families in Lao toward Traditional Medicine.

It is noted that Traditional Medicine is portion of the cultural heritage and officially supported as utile in relation to the jobs with entree to modern pharmaceuticals. K. Sydara et Al. ( 2005 ) used studies and concentrate group treatments and found most families used herbal medical specialties. sweat room. massage and stylostixis. The chief ground was perceived efficaciousness. The findings may organize the footing for wellness sector reforms as the integrating of traditional medical specialty and modern medical specialty is the policy of the Lao authorities.

This survey attempts to look into the usage of Traditional Medicine in an urban environment utilizing a study and personal interviews. Similarly to the above surveies motivational factors. the chief Traditional Medicine used and their medicative intent. a complementary attack and solutions for an integrative wellness attention system were investigated. However. St. Augustine. a Caribbean town. with a widely distributed population is unlike Dublin. Lao or other developing states which have homogeneous populations. Traditional Medicine is nevertheless portion of the cultural heritage in St. Augustine. Lao. the Caribbean and other developing states.

Introduction

The intent of medical specialty is to go to to people’s demands for emotional and physical healing. Modern medical specialty with its scientific attacks had its generation from Traditional Medicine rooted in the usage of natural merchandises to consequence hereditary redresss. Trinidad’s history has witnessed the reaching of migratory groups with a rich heritage of Traditional Medicine ( See Appendix One ) . The West African. East Indian and Chinese presence has helped to guarantee that Traditional Medicine remains an option to Modern Medicine. The barrage of information about alternate medical specialty along with misgiving of the pharmaceutical industry ( Trudeau. 2004 ) . has prompted an accommodation in people’s attitude to Traditional Medicine. It is no longer viewed as a backward nescient pattern of the rural category.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS This survey found that all occupants in St. Augustine use Traditional Medicine in a assortment of signifiers. This is besides the same for the occupants in Lao and the Caribbean where it is portion of the cultural heritage. This is non the instance in Dublin as Traditional Medicine is non accepted as portion of the wellness attention system and few medical physicians offer clear counsel. This survey besides revealed that household members are most likely to act upon occupants to utilize Traditional Medicine. Dublin occupants besides cite personal recommendation as their most of import beginning of information. While in both Jamaica and St. Augustine findings indicate that medical physicians are act uponing their patients to utilize Traditional Medicine. some even offering integrative services to pull more patients. This survey found that inauspicious effects of modern medical specialty and bar of diseases were the main motivational factors to utilize Traditional Medicine.

Lao occupants opined that modern medical specialty did non remedy diseases. Traditional Medicine can bring around wholly. A position confirmed by Ali and Jagmohan in their personal interviews. Debas et Al. ( 2006 ) noted the lower incidence and cost of side-effect as a normally cited motive for Traditional Medicine usage in their survey of developing states. Cost was non a primary factor for actuating St. Augustine and Dublin occupants but economic sciences motivated Lao’s occupants. The resident’s willingness to utilize Traditional Medicine to complement their modern medical specialty seems to be portion of a planetary tendency. Residents in Dublin. Jamaica. Loa and states in the underdeveloped universe all agreed that an integrative attack gave the best result. Dublin resident’s ailment of the deficiency of holistic attention in mainstream medical specialty pushes them toward Traditional Medicine. The Traditional Medicine most used by occupants in this survey was herbal redresss. This is declarative of the prevalence of information on and handiness of herbal medicine.

Harmonizing to WHO. 85 % of the world’s population ( chiefly those in developing states ) depend on workss for medical specialty ( Debas et al. 2006 ) . Herbal medical specialty is besides the chiefly used in Lao and Jamaica but it is far from being sole. Lao occupants besides use sweat room. massage and stylostixis. Residents in Jamaica make usage of stylostixis. reflexology and spinal use to call a few. Most occupants would utilize Traditional Medicine as a first pick for non-life threatening diseases but non for chronic diseases. This is true of Dublin occupants as it is used to handle unwellness which modern medical specialty was already sought. Debas et Al. ( 2006 ) confirms that Traditional Medicine usage is far higher among patients with chronic. painful. enfeebling. or fatal conditions. Peoples normally turn to Traditional Medicine when conventional medical specialty has failed. This was confirmed by Jagmohan and Ali in their interviews. However in Laos. it is used aboard modern medical specialty to handle all unwellnesss as an official wellness policy.

A figure of solutions for incorporating Traditional Medicine with modern medical specialty to profit occupants were suggested. some more aggressive than others. Residents could petition the Minister of Health. Political force per unit area could be placed on the authorities utilizing the media. Public presentations organized in forepart of Parliament. The authorities could committee an question into Traditional Medicine and its efficaciousness utilizing the consequences as footing for policy. Medical research workers could carry on clinical surveies on local herbs and its success in handling specific diseases. Even the possible economic benefits from wellness touristry were considered. All the Literature Review surveies agree that clinical surveies are needed in Traditional Medicine to formalize its effectivity. Lao’s authorities has pioneered the manner intentionally prosecuting an incorporate attack.

Decision

The survey completed has been a success. the needed information has been obtained and all the research inquiries have been sufficiently answered in a timely and convenient mode. The usage of Trinidad Medicine in St. Augustine is varied and an established pattern. Residents experiment with services across civilizations even seeking new patterns to Trinidad. The medical fraternity has much room for betterment in their attitude towards an integrated wellness attention system. There are many possible solutions which may be employed by the occupants. medical forces and the authorities to guarantee the best wellness attention option is available for occupants LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH * The little sample size used- 20 individuals is non big adequate representation of all the occupants of St. Augustine. it would hold been excessively hard and clip devouring to choose and prove a larger sample.

The mark group was grownups hence no consequences for occupants under 18 old ages were found. * Respondents sometimes misread the direction for inquiries nevertheless these were non damaging to the findings. * Some occupants were non willing to take part in the survey. * Largely middle-aged females participated as they were largely present in the places. * The research subject is non a popular survey in the Caribbean and so relevant articles and texts were hard to turn up. * Responses obtained were tainted with prejudice of the occupants. due to personal experience with the local wellness attention system.

Recommendation

* Residents must be proactive about their wellness by deriving every bit much information as possible. They must educate themselves about positive clinical surveies every bit good as negative clinical surveies on Traditional Medicine. * Political force per unit area can be placed on Parliamentary Representatives and the Minister of Health to see policy alteration by raising consciousness on the issue by requests. mass media. arguments and peaceable presentations. * Government can look at other states with incorporate wellness attention systems to see how Trinidad can follow or accommodate them. * Health touristry can be earnestly considered as a feasible off-shoot of mainstream touristry. * Clinical and empirical surveies into the usage. efficaciousness and effects of Traditional Medicine used in Trinidad can be undertaken by the Ministry of Health. Social Scientists. Medical Research Scientists and Traditional Medicine practicians.