Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism"

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dc.contributor.advisorCochrane, Jamesen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorDe Wet, Jacquesen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGwele, Malibongwe Pen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-28T09:19:52Z
dc.date.available2014-08-28T09:19:52Z
dc.date.issued2005en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis small-scale study explores the concept of medical pluralism by looking at the health-seeking strategies of a selected group of residents in Stellenbosch's Kayamandi township. The study addresses the following three primary research questions: What are the health-seeking strategies of the target group? What factors significantly influence their health-seeking behaviour; and why are the respondents using more than one health-seeking strategy? We have used theoretical formulations derived from literature together with data we collected by questionnaires and interviews to respond to these questions. Our target group consisted of a mix of isiXhosa-speaking Christians, which fall into one of the following three groupings: Ecumenical, African Independent Zionists, and African Independent Non-Zionists. We applied a variety of methods to collect our data namely: survey questionnaire, in depth interviews and a focus group interview. Basic statistical and qualitative analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. We tested various potential variables before we concluded that Christian affiliation and gender are two major variables in this study that seem to influence our respondents' choices of strategy. The resulting data indicated that almost all of our respondents are mixing health seeking strategies. They are mixing in two ways: either in a complex way (multiple health seeking strategies for a single ailment), or a simple way (different strategies for different ailments). Even though Western Medicine is a dominant and the only legalized health-seeking strategy in South Africa this research suggests that there is a growing use of other health-seeking strategies, either alternatively or complementarily to Western Medicine. Reasons for this are discussed in this research report, and include firstly, conviction of experience and knowledge of health and illness among others. Secondly, we have established that these determinants transcend accessibility and availability of, particularly, Western medicine facilities. Respondents utilize three different health-seeking strategies selectively through 'border crossing' with minimal conflict.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationGwele, M. P. (2005). <i>Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism"</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6703en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationGwele, Malibongwe P. <i>"Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism"."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6703en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationGwele, M. 2005. Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism". University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.risTY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Gwele, Malibongwe P AB - This small-scale study explores the concept of medical pluralism by looking at the health-seeking strategies of a selected group of residents in Stellenbosch's Kayamandi township. The study addresses the following three primary research questions: What are the health-seeking strategies of the target group? What factors significantly influence their health-seeking behaviour; and why are the respondents using more than one health-seeking strategy? We have used theoretical formulations derived from literature together with data we collected by questionnaires and interviews to respond to these questions. Our target group consisted of a mix of isiXhosa-speaking Christians, which fall into one of the following three groupings: Ecumenical, African Independent Zionists, and African Independent Non-Zionists. We applied a variety of methods to collect our data namely: survey questionnaire, in depth interviews and a focus group interview. Basic statistical and qualitative analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. We tested various potential variables before we concluded that Christian affiliation and gender are two major variables in this study that seem to influence our respondents' choices of strategy. The resulting data indicated that almost all of our respondents are mixing health seeking strategies. They are mixing in two ways: either in a complex way (multiple health seeking strategies for a single ailment), or a simple way (different strategies for different ailments). Even though Western Medicine is a dominant and the only legalized health-seeking strategy in South Africa this research suggests that there is a growing use of other health-seeking strategies, either alternatively or complementarily to Western Medicine. Reasons for this are discussed in this research report, and include firstly, conviction of experience and knowledge of health and illness among others. Secondly, we have established that these determinants transcend accessibility and availability of, particularly, Western medicine facilities. Respondents utilize three different health-seeking strategies selectively through 'border crossing' with minimal conflict. DA - 2005 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2005 T1 - Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism" TI - Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism" UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6703 ER -en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/6703
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationGwele MP. Health and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism". [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Religious Studies, 2005 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6703en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Religious Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherReligious Studiesen_ZA
dc.titleHealth and religion : a study of health-seeking behaviour in Kayamandi, Western Cape in the context of "medical pluralism"en_ZA
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.qualificationnameMSocSci
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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