|
|||||
|
|
Afro-centric religious consultations as treatment for psychotic disorders among day hospital patients in Santiago de Cuba |
|
| Authors: | Roger Carl Gibson Alain Jiménez Morgado Alberto Cutie Brosyle Elena Hamilton Mesa Concepción Hechavarría Sanchéz |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Community Health &2. Psychiatry , University of the West Indies , Mona, Kingston 7, Kingston, Jamaica roger.gibson02@uwimona.edu.jm;4. Department of Critical Care , Hospital General Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso, Carretera Caney , Santiago de Cuba, Santiago, Cuba;5. Department of Psychiatry , Hospital General Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso, Carretera Caney , Santiago de Cuba, Santiago, Cuba |
| Abstract: | We investigated the utilisation of Afro-centric religious treatments for psychotic disorders among a sample of Cuban day hospital patients. Most (55%) had used such treatments and this practice was more common among older persons, although unassociated with any particular religious background or racial heritage. Persons who preferred Afro-centric religious practices to medical ones were more likely to be of African descent or to have received an Afro-centric religious ritual bath as treatment. A case is made for destigmatising Afro-centric religious treatments and for exploring treatment approaches that combine both medical and religious practices in order to achieve more holistic care. |
| Keywords: | religion and medicine African traditional medicine spiritual therapies Cuba psychotic disorders |