Role of traditional healers in the pathway of service for a sample of obsessive compulsive disorder patients in Egypt

Abstract

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of an illness using traditional medicine is in most cases culture-specific and based on beliefs in the community. The majority of mentally ill patients prefer to attend to traditional healers because of the trust problems in the system, affordability, accessibility, and ease of the service. Aim: To assess the role of traditional healers among the pathway of psychiatric services of OCD patients, and to highlight its clinical correlates. Methods: we assessed 93 patients with OCD after confirmation of the diagnosis with fifth version of MINI semi structured interview, using a questionnaire designed and accustomed by authors to assess help seeking behavior in OCD patients and its sociodemographic and clinical correlates. Type of symptomatology and its severity were assessed using Y-BOCS. Results: A total of 39.8% sought traditional healers help, 94.6% were before psychiatric advice, main symptoms related to traditional healers seeking were religious and sexual obsessions. Main causes of traditional healers’ preference were stigma of seeking psychiatric advice in 89.2% of cases, considering disease related to religion in 81.1%, considering that religious commitment help in treatment 75, 7%, and considering disease related to magic and superstitions in 45.9%. Religious origin of illness was the most statistically significant factor related to seeking advice at traditional healers. Conclusion: This study shows that a significant percentage of the patients suffering from OCD prefer to approach traditional healers first due to their own beliefs mainly religious, and society acceptance.