Understanding Illness Diagnoses, Prognoses and Treatments in Rural Households: A Case Study of Gomoa Manso in the Gomoa East District of Central Region, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare decision making is a complex and intertwined behavioural phenomenon in households. The sick and the caregivers bring to bear their knowledge and experiences in such decision making process together with other proximate social network players. Aims: This study sought to unravel the social processes of prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of illness in rural households with particular attention to social networking in diagnosis and treatment of illness. Study Area: Gomoa Manso, a rural community in the Gomoa East District of Central Region of ghana was selected for the study. Methods: Qualitative research methods were employed, making use of in-depth group interviews with 25 purposively sampled households. Audio recorded interviews were transcribed and the transcripts were thematically analyzed with the aid of NVivo 20 qualitative analyses software. Results and Discussion: The study revealed that distance and financial constraints were the most pressing determinants of household self-diagnosis and treatment. There was intergenerational knowledge transfer especially with diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The network of household members, community members and known health professionals was ascertained as the households listened and applied treatment from this network at the same time during diagnosis. Individuals who recover do not sometimes know the exact treatment that worked for them. Conclusion and Recommendations: Households do not rule out professional medical practice but consults only when their treatments fail. Based on these findings, making community health services accessible and affordable is recommended.