Unique collaboration of modern medicine and traditional faith-healing for the treatment of mental illness: Best practice from Gujarat

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Modern psychiatry brings tremendous value to the treatment of mental illness, however, at times is inadequate in providing holistic care within a patient's broader cultural framework. Traditional healing and modern psychiatry together offer a comprehensive, patient-centred approach to treatment, which encompass a patient's spiritual and religious beliefs. In this context, "Dava-Dua" intervention-combination of psychiatric medicine and faith healing-is implemented by the Government of Gujarat at Mira Data Dargah in Mehsana District. The study assesses intervention outcomes, understand implementation challenges and patients' perspectives on the treatment. METHODS: Using a multi-method research approach, case records from July 2008 to March 2018 were retrieved for secondary analysis of patients' profile and outcomes; 26 patients from three groups: Dava, Dua and Dava-Dua; and 6 mental health service providers were interviewed to assess perspectives of patients and service providers on mental health, implementation barriers and facilitators. RESULTS: Despite some implementation challenges, the findings indicate that collaboration of modern psychiatry medicine and faith-based treatment practices certainly benefit patients with otherwise limited access to mental health care thereby protects human rights of patients. CONCLUSION: Dava-Dua model compliments existing primary healthcare services. It provides an access to modern medicine without compromising patients' religious and spiritual practices. It has the potential to scale-up and replicate where faith-healing is the prime treatment modality to cure mental illness provided implementation challenges are proactively addressed.

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