Abstract:
The aim of the study was to investigate help-seeking pathways that are followed by patients with chronic disease in one rural community in Limpopo Province. Specifically, the objectives of the study were: a). to investigate help-seeking pathways that were followed by patients with chronic diseases before and after they were diagnosed with their condition; b). to explore the treatment modalities that were used by the patients before they started receiving hospital treatment for their chronic conditions; and, c). to determine whether or not the patients received other forms of treatment in addition to their treatment for the chronic diseases.
Through snowball sampling, 10 participants (female = 6; male = 4) drawn from Ga-Dikgale community (Limpopo Province) were selected and requested to participate in the present study. The ages of the participants ranged from 42 to 96 years. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) The results of the study are presented under the following themes: a). participants‟ understanding of chronic disease; b). participants‟ view or understanding of factors that could have led to their chronic disease ; c). the help-seeking pathways that were followed by patients with chronic diseases before and after they were diagnosed with their condition; d). the treatment modalities that were used by the patients before they started receiving hospital treatment for their chronic conditions; and, e) whether or not the patients received other forms of treatment in addition to their treatment for the chronic diseases. The study found that different treatment agencies are consulted by patients with chronic diseases. These agencies include: spiritual leaders, traditional healers, to mention few. Based on the findings of the present study, it is concluded that help-seeking pathways are mainly determined by the perceived causes of the disease, which are culturally rooted.
