Dilemma With the Local Perception of Causes of Illnesses in Central Africa: Muted Concept but Prevalent in Everyday Life

Abstract

The author of this study aims to explore people's perceptions of the cause of illnesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo using qualitative methods, namely case studies and focus group discussions, to gather data from participants. He identifies seven main categories of causes of illnesses and describes the relations between them. The local concept of the causes of illnesses does not absolutely respect the biomedical framework. As the popular saying puts it, Congolais hakufi na microbe, meaning "Congolese people do not die by microbes." The perception of witchcraft is strong as a cause of illness among the Bira of Mobala and the Nande of Mukulia. The author argues that health professionals should take this view into account instead of rejecting it.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Causality and Implications for Resilience and Support

“…Tbis finding contrasts witb otber literature on bealtb and bealing practices in Kinsbasa (e.g., Corin, 1979;Deviscb, 2005). It also aligns witb Sabuni's (2007) observations of causation of illness in central Africa: "People tell one person one cause and anotber a different cause, and tbis depends on tbe background of tbe person being told, for example, a pastor, medical professional, or close friend" (p. 1289). Finally, given tbat metapbysical paradigms of disability do not align witb Western cosmology, tbe Western researcber may not bave been able to elicit a large quantity of candid responses, or may bave interpreted respondents' comments tbrougb a Western and, tbus, skewed lens.…”

“…(Ingstad & Whyte, 1995, p. 37) In African countries, the "outside themselves" understanding involves attributions of a variety of causes, including sorcery and fetishism. A study of the perception of causes of illness in Central Africa (Sabuni, 2007) identifled the following as the primary causal understandings of illness: natural; physical and environmental; social; broken taboos; heredity; witchcraft, sorcery, and poisoning; and punishment from ancestors. These seven categories are all classifled as either natural or metaphysical (Sabuni, 2007).…”

“…A study of the perception of causes of illness in Central Africa (Sabuni, 2007) identifled the following as the primary causal understandings of illness: natural; physical and environmental; social; broken taboos; heredity; witchcraft, sorcery, and poisoning; and punishment from ancestors. These seven categories are all classifled as either natural or metaphysical (Sabuni, 2007). Similarly, understanding illness and impairment in Botswana includes incidents of "misfortune" (including disability and illness) that are "easily understood as the outcome of natural processes or as part of the mysterious logic of Modimo [sorcery]" (Livingston, 2005, p. 86).…”

Health-Seeking Behaviour towards Poverty-Related Disease (PRDs): A Qualitative Study of People Living in Camps and on Campuses in Cameroon

“…Other studies have shown that local beliefs can influence whether respondents accept medical treatments for a disease or not [26–28]. In fact, local beliefs have been reported to influence even the perceived causes and recognition of symptoms for diseases [27].…”

Factors Contributing to the Construction of Personhood of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

“…Generally, people understand IDD to arise due to biomedical or metaphysical causes, or a combination of both. Our use of the term "metaphysical" mirrors language employed by Congolese researcher Sabuni (2007) in his study of understandings of disability and illness in the Congo. There is extensive literature on ideas of difference and misfortune on the continent of Africa (e.g., Corin, 1998;Devlieger, 1995;Livingston, 2005;White, 2004).…”