Study on practices/knowledge and recepies of traditional healers of treatment of Jaundice in Kathmandu valley

Abstract

Criteria for sample selection were simple - age, experience and profession of the healers. Emphasis was given to the varieties of method of treatment rather than the number of traditional healers for the research. So, only twenty traditional healers renowned in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts were selected and made discussion in detail directly with them regarding the disease.

Questionnaires and interview were used as data collection tools. No secondary data were used. Questions in the questionnaires and the interviewed- questions were similar. There were nearly 40 questions for healers and 25 questions for patients. The reason in making such long questionnaires is to make clear about the family as well as individual background of the healers, his knowledge, experience, attitude, expectation etc besides particular knowledge in jaundice.

The purpose, scope, methods, benefit and approximate time of engagement, also the use of study, related institutions and organization to this research etc were informed very politely to the participants. Personal introduction of researchers, objective, rationale of research were also described as they put interest. Participants chose whether s/he wanted to fill questionnaires himself/ herself or easy to him/her to ask by researcher then proceeded.

An additional chapter – My Observation, is included to highlight experience and personal observation of investigators with traditional healers during the field visit. Literature review provides to some extent brief knowledge on hepatitis disorders according to Ayurveda. This is the chapter compiled from published books, articles and research report during the literature review.