Filariasis in northern Ghana: some cultural beliefs and practices and their implications for disease control
Gyapong, M.; Gyapong, J.O.; Adjei, S.; Vlassoff, C.; Weiss, M.
Social Science and Medicine 43(2): 235-242
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0277-9536 PMID: 8844927 DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(95)00365-7Document Number: 299299
This article reports on how some endemic rural communities in northern Ghana perceive and manage lymphatic filariasis. The disease was mainly attributed to supernatural and spiritual factors. Except for a few instances of neglect, the community was generally caring towards people with the disease. Issues related to marriage, stigma, concealment and leadership are discussed. On the whole, the importance of social and cultural perceptions of a disease and its relevance to control cannot be over emphasized.
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