Health Care Practitioners

Purnell's Model

Overview/Heritage:
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Communication
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Family roles & organization
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Workforce issues

Biocultural ecology

High-risk behaviors

Nutrition
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Pregnancy

Death rituals

Spirituality
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Health care practices
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Health care practitioners

References

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Types of traditional or ethnomedical practitioners include:

• Voodoo practitioners -- Voodoo priests (Houngan) or priestesses (Mambo).  These practitioners are sought to help with supernatural illnesses.^{25, 26, 31, 32, 56}    

• They were "called" to this occupation and have had a long training period that includes an apprenticeship.⁵⁶ 

• Their fees are usually substantial.^{26, 56}

• They are very well respected in the community, and often the richest persons in a rural Haitian community.⁵⁶ 

• Voodoo practitioners can make a diagnosis by using cards, shells, or trances.²⁶

• Treatment by voodoo practitioners usually consists of dancing, incantations, herbal preparations, prayer, and calling on the loa.^{26, 32, 52}

• Depending on the disease, it may need to be treated by a voodoo  practitioner only;  or there could be a choice between a voodoo practitioner or a biomedical practitioner. Seizure and psychiatric disorders would be examples of problems that would only be treated by a houngan or mambo.²⁶

• It is not uncommon for American Haitians to seek the help of these practitioners even if it means going back to Haiti.^{37, 58} 

• Voodoo practitioners treat from a holistic perspective.⁵²

• Herbalists (docte fey)

  • These are the most common traditional healers in Haiti.^{26, 35} 

  • They have no formal training.⁵⁶

  • Herbalists are sought for common illnesses such as colds, fevers,  and diarrhea.²⁶

  • They are also skilled in treating the supernatural illness called evil eye (Maldyok). This illness is caused by someone looking at your infant with envy.^{26, 56}

  • Charges by herbalists vary depending on the severity of the illness.⁵⁶

  • Herbalists treat from a holistic perspective.⁵² 

• Midwives (matron) 

  • These traditional midwives deliver most of the infants, especially in rural Haiti, as well as provide any needed prenatal care.^{26, 56} 

  • The midwives also supervise the postpartum seclusion period.^{26, 56}

  • All services provided by the midwives are covered by a preestablished fee.⁵⁶ 

  • They have no formal training.⁵⁶ 

• Bone setters (docte zo)

  • These providers traditionally treat musculoskeletal problems.²⁶

  • Treatments include: casts, massage, manipulation, poultices, and prayer. ²⁶

  • They charge standardized fees.⁵⁶  

• Injectionists (pikirists)

  • Injectionists sually have some experience giving injections, and may have worked in a clinical setting.⁵⁶

  • They will go from area to area giving people injections of whatever they want or need (medications or herbal preparations).^{26, 56}

  • Injectionists charge a set fee per injection.⁵⁶