4.0 COMMUNITY’S PERCEPTION OF CAUSATION OF DISEASES AND SOCIETAL RESPONSES

Common Perceptions/ Beliefs on Causes of Diseases in the Society

i. God- this is a belief that an illness occurs as a result of certain offences that attracted God’s punishment, thus the illness is as a result of God’s anger on the offender(s).

ii. Ancestral spirits — This is the belief that ancestral spirits could inflict illnesses on members of the family as a result of’ either violation of a taboo e.g. incest or failure to perform some rites. They are believed to be capable of striking their subjects with any kind of disease or even cause death.

iii. Evil spirits - Some people belief that some diseases are caused by evil spirit. Diseases like small pox, chicken pox, mental and blotting illnesses are implicated in this. There is also the belief that the phasing of the moon increases the intensity of mental illness.

iv. Witches and Wizards - There is also the belief that some men (wizards) and women (Witches) have magical power which the use to bewitch people. Their bewitchment could he in form of causing harm or even killing the subject. 

v. Sorcery - Some people are believed to have mystical (magical) powers, which they use to protect themselves and cause harm and illness to others.

Cultural Practices to prevent or cure illness

1. Divination/ Consultation to find out cause of the illness

2. Herbs-used to cure diseases

3. Charms - to protect and prevent misfortune

4. Sacrifices- to appease the gods

5. Prayers/ fasting and abstinence including exorcism to plead for mercy from God and to deliver victims from the oppression of the devil.

6.  Incantation  & other forms of rituals to invoke spiritual powers and self-purification     

Table: Community Perception of the Causes of Disease & Family/ Societal Responses

Diseases

Family/ Societal Responses

Tuberculosis

Fear of contamination. Wish for isolation of victim, Feeling of shame

Mental illness

Family feels disgraced and embarrassed. The illness is seen as deviant behaviour. The patient is viewed as blemish and sometimes a normative rule breaker

Schistosomiasis (Bilharzias)

There is feeling of pity, discrimination and sympathy

Fear of contamination and rejection from the society

Malaria

The patient attracts pity, sympathy, encouragement and support for treatment. Family becomes afraid of expenses

Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

Fear of contamination. Pity, sympathy and support for the treatment

Onchocerciasis (river blindness)

There is discrimination, infamy and a feeling of imperfection of the patient

Poliomyelitis

There is pity and sympathy. Patient often receives support

Sickle cell diseases

Family becomes depressed and entertains fear of the future of the patient. Society attaches blemish with mixed feeling of pity and sympathy

Conjunctivitis

Fear of contamination

Helminthiasis

Sympathy, pity and support for treatment

Kwashiorkor

Due to ignorance, the patient is seen as defective

Hepatitis

Sympathy , pity and support for treatment( if diagnosed ); otherwise there is suspicion that the patient has been poisoned 

Cardiovascular disease

Mixed feeling of sympathy and imperfection

Sometimes the victim is seen as the cause of his own problems

Diabetes mellitus/ insipidus

Mixed feeling of sympathy and imperfection

Sometimes the victim is seen as the cause of his own problems

Stroke

Mixed feeling of sympathy and imperfection

Sometimes the victim is seen as the cause of his own problems

Obesity

Appreciated and envied as being able to stand the hard time

Kidney disease

At first when there is thought to be STI, there is a feeling of disgrace, imperfection and completely spoilt. When the truth is known , the feeling and response changes to pity ,sympathy, fear and support