Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32375765›Full record

ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2020

Traditional and complementary medicine use among Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone: a qualitative exploratory study of the perspectives of healthcare workers providing care to Ebola survivors.

Peter Bai James, Jon Wardle, Amie Steel, Jon Adams, Abdulai Jawo Bah, Stephen Sevalie

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Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Peter Bai JamesAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia. jamepeb@yahoo.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6373-5704
Jon WardleAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Amie SteelAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Jon AdamsAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Abdulai Jawo BahFaculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Stephen SevalieFaculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundConsiderable number of patients, including Ebola survivors, in Sierra Leone, are using traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM). Healthcare providers' (HCPs) views about T&CM is crucial in addressing the increased need for T&CM among patients. However, healthcare providers' views about T&CM in Sierra Leone is unknown. Our study explores healthcare providers' knowledge of and perception towards T&CM and how that influence their personal and professional T&CM use, communication with Ebola survivors about T&CM as well as its integration into the healthcare system in Sierra Leone.

methodsWe employed a qualitative exploratory study design using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 15 conveniently sampled HCPs in all four geographical regions of Sierra Leone. We analysed our data using thematic network analysis framework.

resultsHealthcare providers perceived their knowledge about T&CM to be low and considered T&CM to be less effective and less safe than conventional medicine as well as not evidence-based. HCPs perception of T&CM as non-scientific and their lack of knowledge of T&CM were the key barriers to HCPs' self-use and recommendation as well as their lack of detailed discussion about T&CM with Ebola survivors. HCPs are open to T&CM integration into mainstream healthcare in Sierra Leone although at their terms. However, they believe that T&CM integration could be enhanced by effective professional regulation of T&CM practice, and by improving T&CM evidenced-based knowledge through education, training and research.

conclusionChanging HCPs' negative perception of and increasing their knowledge about T&CM is critical to promoting effective communication with Ebola survivors regarding T&CM and its integration into the healthcare system in Sierra Leone. Strategies such as educational interventions for HCPs, conducting rigorous T&CM research, proper education and training of T&CM practitioners and effective professional regulation of T&CM practice could help in that direction.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelComplementary TherapiesSurvivorsAdultFemaleHemorrhagic Fever, EbolaHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchSierra LeoneAttitudeCommunicationComplementary therapiesEbolaEbola survivorsHealth personnelIntegrationPerceptionSierra LeoneTraditional medicine

Identifiers

PMID32375765
PMCPMC7201764

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.