Page 41 - IJPS-10-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Traditional practices of herbal medicine in Malawi

1. Introduction as primary sources, while friends and others come
as secondary sources (Panganai & Shumba, 2016). In
The use of herbal medicine during pregnancy and addition, there are many other reasons cited as the
childbirth among women is estimated to be at around justifications of herbal medicine use among women
60% in developed countries (Quzmar et al., 2021; Frawley globally. For instance, women choose to use herbal
et al., 2013a) and between 34% and 80% in the Sub- medicine because of the perceptions that biomedicine is
Saharan Africa (El Hajj & Holst, 2020). Herbal medicine
is provided in various forms, from plant parts with active not effective and herbal medicine can prevent miscarriage
ingredients to finished processed herbal products which (Nyeko et al., 2016; Mothupi, 2014). Other studies
women use during pregnancy and childbirth (World demonstrate that women also use herbal medicine on the
Health Organization, 2017). Evidence on the effects of grounds of cost-effectiveness, perceived absence of side
herbal medicine has shown that it facilitates labor, treats effects, cultural and personal beliefs, and philosophical
common illnesses during pregnancy and childbirth, and views on life and health (Barnes, 2003; Gardiner et al.,
prevents miscarriage (Peprah et al., 2019). However, the 2007). In Malawi, women who have chosen to use herbal
usage of herbal medicine, as reported in many places medicine were under the perception that it hastens labor,
including Malawi, has been associated with bad obstetric prevents pregnancy-related complications, and promotes
outcomes, including uterine rupture, fetal distress, infantile health (Makombe et al., 2023).
and meconium-stained liquor which leads to cesarean Thus, understanding information source pathways
deliveries (Ngoma & Siachapa, 2017; Lampiao et al., 2018a; and the rationale behind the use of herbal medicine
Balbontín et al., 2019). during pregnancy and childbirth among rural women
Some theorists (Laor, 2022) have observed that in developing countries such as Malawi can help address
individuals’ abilities, knowledge, and motivation, as well the knowledge gap about the influencing factors and
as health literacy environments (policies, people, and guide the development of health-related interventions.
processes), predominantly influence how they obtain, However, information source and factors that influence
evaluate, understand, and apply information to make herbal medicine use among women during pregnancy
healthcare-seeking decisions. The authors suggest that and childbirth in Malawi are not well-documented. This
the source of information for healthcare decision-making study therefore sought to explore key information sources
is important. Likewise, the sources of information about and influencing factors of herbal medicine use during
herbal medicine use among women are important for pregnancy and labor in rural Lilongwe, Malawi.
understanding the factors influencing women’s decision-
making process. For example, a cross-sectional study 1.1. Theoretical framing of the study: The health
conducted in Iran found that the main sources of belief model (HBM)
information for herbal medicine use are friends, colleagues There are various information source pathways and
and family members (33.5%), obstetricians and midwives factors that influence herbal medicine use among women
(41.5%), books, journals and magazines (6.7%), traditional during pregnancy and labor. In this study, the HBM was
healers (3.6%), radio and television (5.1%), internet (3%), applied to understand the factors that could influence
and other sources (9.3%) (Khadivzadeh & Ghabel, 2012). the behavior of using herbal medicine during pregnancy
Similar results were also reported in an Australian study and labor. Proposed by Rosenstock and his colleagues in
(Frawley et al., 2013b) where information about herbal the early 1950s (Sripad et al., 2019), the HBM focuses on
medicine use among pregnant women originated from predicting health behaviors and explaining why people
personal experiences (48%), family and friends (43%), would participate in certain programs to prevent disease
general practitioners (27%), media (22%), obstetrician (Butts & Rich, 2011). The HBM entails the influencing
(21%) midwives (19%), internet (11%), and pharmacists factors as well as the factors that discourage people from
(7%). Holst et al. (2009) also established that family and participating in disease prevention activities on the basis
friends are the most frequent sources of information about that people’s beliefs about whether they are susceptible
herbal remedies to be used during pregnancy. to disease or not, and their perceptions of the benefits

However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the information of trying to avoid it, are influenced by their readiness
sources are somewhat different from those reported to act (Glanz & Rimer, 2005). The HBM hence focuses
in Western countries. Studies conducted in the Sub- on assessing health behaviors of individuals through
Saharan Africa regions (Mugomeri et al., 2015; Mudonhi examination of perceptions and attitudes that someone
& Nunu, 2020) mainly cite grandmothers, traditional may have toward disease and negative outcomes of certain
healers, mothers-in-law, and traditional birth attendants actions.

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 35 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0296