Analysis of the Factors Influencing Consultation with Traditional Health Practitioners: A Case of Bapedi Communities in Limpopo Province South Africa

Abstract

Traditional medicine continues to play a critical role in promoting and sustaining health in developing nations, especially in the rural areas where traditional healers are the exclusive providers of primary health care in their communities. The primary objective of scientists is to ascertain the rationale for the ongoing use of traditional medicine in an era when biomedical procedures are widely available, accessible, and inexpensive to the majority of people. The current research examines the elements that contribute to continuous consultation with traditional healers in four rural communities in South Africa's Limpopo Province. The data collection method was semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of 53 patients recruited from the households of traditional health practitioners. The study findings present four factors influencing consultation with traditional health practitioners namely accessibility and affordability, affordability and holistic care to offer spiritual and emotional care.