American Journal of Internal Medicine

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Assessment towards use of holy water as complementary treatment among PLWHA, Northeast, Ethiopia

Received: 13 March 2015    Accepted: 25 March 2015    Published: 31 March 2015
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Abstract

Background: Holy water use in the form of a drink and a shower is the main treatment used by People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) together with other spiritual practices. A growing number of PLWHA in Ethiopia today are relocating to holy water sites. The study was intended to determine the level of use of holy water as anti-retro viral treatment (ART) among PLWHA. Cross sectional study designs with systematic random sampling through interview among 422 respondents were done in Debrebrihan hospital and health center. Single proportion formula with p- value 0f 50% used to determine the sample size. Frequency and percentage were computed by the SPSS statically software. A total of 422 respondents was included in the study with a median age of 35 years; most of them were females 262 (62.1%) and 168 (39.8%) were married. Among the respondents 282 (66.8%) had experience of using holy water. The result also shown that, 73 (25.9%) of respondents reported that it is not convenient to take medication while using holy water with spiritual fear of using anti retro viral (ARV) drugs and holy water together 51 (69.9%). The study concludes that, the use of holy water as treatment of human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and more than half of the study participants visit the holy water site because of them believed that it is a result of sanity and punishment from God. Hence, finding implication towards use of mixed treatment for to adherence via proper advocacy, training and opening culturally appropriate treatment site is as a key fact regarding drug adherence in the treatment of PLWHA.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16
Published in American Journal of Internal Medicine (Volume 3, Issue 3, May 2015)
Page(s) 127-131
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Adherence, Traditional, Alternative medicine, Antiretroviral drugs, Spiritual

References
[1] UNAIDS and WHO. AIDS epidemic update. Geneva; 2007 December.
[2] Lelisa Sena, Care and support and people living with HIV and AIDS at Holy water: An assessment at four selected sites in Addis Ababa, Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services 07/2010; 9:260-280.
[3] James Zou, Yvonne Yamanaka, Muze John, Melissa Watt, Jan Ostermann, Nathan Thielman: Religion and HIV in Tanzania: influence of religious beliefs on HIV stigma, disclosure and treatment attitudes, BMC public health. 2009 March 4; 9:75. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/75.
[4] Maria Roura, Roy Nsigaye, Benjamin Nhandi, Joyce Wamoyi, Joanna Blusza, Mark Urassa et al,. “Driving the devil away”: qualitative insights into miraculous cures for AIDS in a rural Tanzanian ward. BMC public health. 2010; 10:427. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/427.
[5] WHO (2002). Traditional medicine growing needs and potential. May 2002, Geneva.
[6] Karl Peltizer, Natalie Friend-du Preez, Shandir Ramalagan, Henry Fomundam and Jane Anderson. Traditional complementary and alternative medicine and antiretroviral treatment adherence among HIV patients in Kwazulu-natal, South Africa. Afr. J. Tradition CAM. 2010; 7(2):125-137.
[7] Sian Cotton, Chrisina M Puchalski, Susan N. Sherman, Joseph M., Mrus, Amy H. Peterman, et al. , spirituality and religion with patients with HIV/AIDS. J Gen Intern Med 2006; 21:S5-13.
[8] IanWoods,Skycorrespondent,http://shegertribune.blogspot.com/2011/12/thousands-of-ethiopian-aids-patients.html.
[9] FHAPCO. Report on progress towards implementation of the UN Declaration of commitment on HIV/AIDS. Addis Ababa; 2010 March.
[10] Humanitarian news and analysis, a service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, ENTOTO, 25 May 2007 (IRIN).
[11] Plus News Ethiopia: church endorses ‘holy water’ and antiretroviral as people flock to miracle mountain. 2007 May 25Availablefrom:http://www.plusnews.org/report.aspx?Reportld=72375
[12] Patriarch and U.S. Ambassador Discuss Modern Versus Traditional Methods in Treating HIV/AIDS, May 23, 2007; No. 30/07).
Author Information
  • Regional monitoring and evaluation advisor, Management Science for Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • College of medicine and health sciences, Arbaminch University, Ethiopia

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  • APA Style

    Abush Kebede Ketema, Zewdu Shewangizaw Weret. (2015). Assessment towards use of holy water as complementary treatment among PLWHA, Northeast, Ethiopia. American Journal of Internal Medicine, 3(3), 127-131. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16

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    ACS Style

    Abush Kebede Ketema; Zewdu Shewangizaw Weret. Assessment towards use of holy water as complementary treatment among PLWHA, Northeast, Ethiopia. Am. J. Intern. Med. 2015, 3(3), 127-131. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16

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    AMA Style

    Abush Kebede Ketema, Zewdu Shewangizaw Weret. Assessment towards use of holy water as complementary treatment among PLWHA, Northeast, Ethiopia. Am J Intern Med. 2015;3(3):127-131. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16,
      author = {Abush Kebede Ketema and Zewdu Shewangizaw Weret},
      title = {Assessment towards use of holy water as complementary treatment among PLWHA, Northeast, Ethiopia},
      journal = {American Journal of Internal Medicine},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {127-131},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20150303.16},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajim.20150303.16},
      abstract = {Background: Holy water use in the form of a drink and a shower is the main treatment used by People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) together with other spiritual practices. A growing number of PLWHA in Ethiopia today are relocating to holy water sites. The study was intended to determine the level of use of holy water as anti-retro viral treatment (ART) among PLWHA. Cross sectional study designs with systematic random sampling through interview among 422 respondents were done in Debrebrihan hospital and health center. Single proportion formula with p- value 0f 50% used to determine the sample size. Frequency and percentage were computed by the SPSS statically software. A total of 422 respondents was included in the study with a median age of 35 years; most of them were females 262 (62.1%) and 168 (39.8%) were married. Among the respondents 282 (66.8%) had experience of using holy water. The result also shown that, 73 (25.9%) of respondents reported that it is not convenient to take medication while using holy water with spiritual fear of using anti retro viral (ARV) drugs and holy water together 51 (69.9%). The study concludes that, the use of holy water as treatment of human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and more than half of the study participants visit the holy water site because of them believed that it is a result of sanity and punishment from God. Hence, finding implication towards use of mixed treatment for to adherence via proper advocacy, training and opening culturally appropriate treatment site is as a key fact regarding drug adherence in the treatment of PLWHA.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    AB  - Background: Holy water use in the form of a drink and a shower is the main treatment used by People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) together with other spiritual practices. A growing number of PLWHA in Ethiopia today are relocating to holy water sites. The study was intended to determine the level of use of holy water as anti-retro viral treatment (ART) among PLWHA. Cross sectional study designs with systematic random sampling through interview among 422 respondents were done in Debrebrihan hospital and health center. Single proportion formula with p- value 0f 50% used to determine the sample size. Frequency and percentage were computed by the SPSS statically software. A total of 422 respondents was included in the study with a median age of 35 years; most of them were females 262 (62.1%) and 168 (39.8%) were married. Among the respondents 282 (66.8%) had experience of using holy water. The result also shown that, 73 (25.9%) of respondents reported that it is not convenient to take medication while using holy water with spiritual fear of using anti retro viral (ARV) drugs and holy water together 51 (69.9%). The study concludes that, the use of holy water as treatment of human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and more than half of the study participants visit the holy water site because of them believed that it is a result of sanity and punishment from God. Hence, finding implication towards use of mixed treatment for to adherence via proper advocacy, training and opening culturally appropriate treatment site is as a key fact regarding drug adherence in the treatment of PLWHA.
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