Abstract
M.Tech. (Homoeopathy)
Complementary medicine (CM) treats and prevents illnesses and complements mainstream medicine; it does so by satisfying a medical demand which is not met by conventional medicine or diversifying the conceptual framework of medicine. The use of CM for the treatment and prevention of diseases has shown to grow over the years. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines traditional medicine (TM) as an approach, health practice, belief and knowledge of an animal, plant and mineral based medicine, manual techniques and spiritual practices that are applied singularly or in combination to treat, prevent or diagnose diseases and maintaining health. The prevalence of CM use worldwide is estimated to be around 75% among adults, and the WHO has reported that 80% of the population in the world depend on TM for treatment. There were currently no studies conducted on the awareness, perception and use of TM and CM amongst adults in the North West province, South Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness, perception, and use of TM and CM amongst adults in a rural village of the North West province by means of a questionnaire. This study was conducted in Shiela village in the North West province. A sample consisting of 150 adult males and females were recruited by means of flyers and posters with relevant permission obtained. The research took place in a community hall in Shiela village. Those included were given an information letter which invited them to take part in the study. The letter explained the purpose, procedure, and outcome of the study. Potential participants were screened for exclusion and inclusion criteria. The researcher was available to answer any questions or address any concerns about the study. On the day of the study conduction, potential participants were given consent forms to sign before filling in the questionnaires. Participants were given a private area where they could fill in the questionnaire. After completion, the questionnaires were was folded, sealed in an envelope, and placed into a box. Each questionnaire took approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. These boxes were stored in the strong room of the Homeopathy Health Centre, at the University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein campus, and only the researcher and the supervisor had access to these boxes. The participants remained anonymous as no identifying data, names or identity numbers was requested on the questionnaire. The data accumulated from the research was then analysed, interpreted, and captured with the assistance of a statistician from STATKON at the University of Johannesburg using cross tabulations, frequencies, and Chi-Square analysis...