Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Nov 1;19(11):e0312962.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312962. eCollection 2024.

Push and pull factors influencing preference for traditional healing by jaundiced patients in Bangladesh

Md Ismail Gazi  1   2 , Hema Binte Hamid  3 , A B M Alauddin Chowdhury  1
Affiliations

Push and pull factors influencing preference for traditional healing by jaundiced patients in Bangladesh

Md Ismail Gazi et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Jaundice is a significant health issue in Bangladesh. Many patients choose traditional medicine (TM) over conventional medicine (CM) for treating jaundice. This study aimed to identify and analyze the push and pull factors influencing the preferences of jaundiced patients for traditional healing methods in Bangladesh.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used a mixed-methods approach. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 16 participants (8 per group) who had experience of using traditional medicine for jaundice. In-depth interviews with five traditional healers were carried out to gather qualitative insights from the healers' perspectives. Quantitative data were collected from 400 jaundiced patients at a tertiary-level hospital using a semi-structured questionnaire. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were used to analyze associations between sociodemographic factors, push-pull factors, and treatment preferences.

Results: The study found that 62% of participants favored TM for jaundice treatment. The scalp and hand cleansing rituals (46%), herbal remedies (37%), garlanding (23%), and use of talismans or amulets (21%) were the most common practices. Qualitative analysis revealed five push factors, eight pull factors, four intervening obstacles, and five personal factors that influenced jaundiced patients' preference for TM. Patients also emphasized the significance of spiritual and emotional aspects in their decision-making process when choosing TM. Significant associations were observed between treatment preference and age group (p = 0.002), residence (p = 0.018), education level (p<0.001), and religion (p = 0.015). Individuals aged 50 years and above (70.9%), rural residents (68%), and those with no or primary education (72%) were more likely to opt for TM. Key push factors towards TM included high costs of CM (OR: 6.80, 95% CI: 2.10-22.04) and perceived ineffectiveness of CM. Strong pull factors were accessibility of TM (OR: 11.18, 95% CI: 4.03-31.00), perceived effectiveness of TM (OR: 3.45, 95% CI: 1.05-11.37), personal testimonials (OR: 7.55, 95% CI: 2.75-20.69), lower costs of TM (OR: 10.48, 95% CI: 4.30-25.54) and lack of information about conventional treatments for jaundice (OR: 13.82, 95% CI: 4.62-41.33).

Conclusion: The study reveals that both push and pull factors influence jaundiced patients in Bangladesh to choose TM over CM, with decisions shaped by personal, socioeconomic, and geographical factors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Data collection flow chart.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Population pyramid illustrating age-group preferences for traditional healing.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Dynamics of push and pull factors in seeking traditional medicine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Pavlovic Markovic A, Stojkovic Lalosevic M, Mijac DD, Milovanovic T, Dragasevic S, Sokic Milutinovic A, et al.. Jaundice as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Problem: A General Practitioner’s Approach. Dig Dis. 2022;40(3):362–9. Epub 20210520. doi: 10.1159/000517301 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Paul RC, Nazneen A, Banik KC, Sumon SA, Paul KK, Akram A, et al.. Hepatitis E as a cause of adult hospitalization in Bangladesh: Results from an acute jaundice surveillance study in six tertiary hospitals, 2014–2017. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020;14(1):e0007586. Epub 20200121. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007586 ; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6994197. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Khan AI, Salimuzzaman M, Islam MT, Afrad MH, Shirin T, Jony MHK, et al.. Nationwide Hospital-Based Seroprevalence of Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E Virus in Bangladesh. Ann Glob Health. 2020;86(1):29. Epub 20200316. doi: 10.5334/aogh.2574 ; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7082825. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wang L, Yu WF. Obstructive jaundice and perioperative management. Acta Anaesthesiol Taiwan. 2014;52(1):22–9. Epub 20140517. doi: 10.1016/j.aat.2014.03.002 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lucas WB, Chuttani R. Pathophysiology and current concepts in the diagnosis of obstructive jaundice. Gastroenterologist. 1995;3(2):105–18. . - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources