Int J Nurs Stud. 1990 ; 27(4): 333-42.

Western trained nurses' assessment of the different categories of traditional healers in southwestern Nigeria.

Odebiyi AI.

Department of Sociology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Different categories of traditional healers were assessed by randomly selected Western trained nurses. Traditional birth attendants were rated as the most effective type of healers, followed by traditional psychiatrists and herbalists respectively. The least rated were the diviners, traditional bone setters and pharmacists. The majority of the nurses believe that traditional healers are effective, but the degree of effectiveness varies with the specialization of the healers. A large percentage of the nurses (44%) favoured formal collaboration between practitioners of the two medical systems. All the nurses who perceived some healers as effective also stated that they would be prepared to work with them, although as their superiors. Of particular importance is the issue that all the categories of traditional healers should not be classed together--there are different types and each type has its own peculiarities and usefulness.