Stroke traditional therapy in the community

Abstract

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability which must be treated quickly and appropriately. Use of complementary and alternative Medicine is high for stroke patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of stroke traditional therapy in the community setting. This study was an ethnographic study, and it aimed to identify social interactions, behaviors, and perceptions. This study involved seven key informants (families of stroke patients), recruited through a purposive sampling technique until data saturation was reached. Participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions were employed in this study from December 2018 to February 2019. Data analysis involved content analysis. There were five themes identified in this study: family, traditional healer, neighbors, other people, and friends. The family refers to their spouse, children, nieces/nephews, sons-in-law, siblings, and grandchildren. Other people are also involved such as masseurs, neighbors, parking attendants, pedicab drivers, and friends. People who are involved in stroke traditional therapy should also be able to provide conventional treatments such as medicines, and carry out therapy with physiotherapists.