Ghanaian traditional and faith healers' explanatory models of intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: The use of traditional/alternative medicine for health care in Africa has been examined for various conditions. However, there is limited research about traditional/alternative health care for intellectual disability. The present authors explored the explanatory models (EMs) of intellectual disability held by traditional/faith healers in Ghana.

METHODS: Using a case vignette, the present authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 traditional/faith healers in Accra, Ghana. Using the EMs of illness framework as a guide, participants were asked questions to examine their beliefs about the nature, causes, course and recommended treatment of intellectual disability.

RESULTS: The healers' causal explanations included maternal negligence during pregnancy and spiritual factors. They also believed that intellectual disability was a congenital, lifelong condition which could not be cured.

CONCLUSIONS: Unlike other conditions which traditional healers claimed to cure, participants admitted that intellectual disability was not curable. The present authors suggest that the findings highlight opportunities that exist for collaboration between biomedicine and traditional medicine.