Assessment of traditional healers’ knowledge and utilization of pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies in the Amhara region, North West Ethiopia

Figures & data

Figure 1. Map of the study area.

Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents (n = 60).

Variables	Categories	Total N	Heard about PE and MSs N (%)	Not heard about PE and MSs N (%)	Statistical Tests
Gender	Male	58	52 (89.7)	6 (10.3)	X^2 = 0.230 p = 0.174
	Female	2	2 (100)	0 (0.0)
Age	Under 30	4	4 (100)	0 (0.0)	X^2 = 0.829 p = 0.843
	31–40	14	12 (85.7)	2 (14.3)
	41–50	18	16 (88.9)	2 (11.1)
	Over 50	24	22 (91.7)	2 (8.3)
Education level	Illiterate	30	26 (86.7)	4 (13.3)	X^2 = 4.815 p = 0.186
	Primary	8	6 (75.0)	2 (25.0)
	Secondary	8	8 (100)	0 (0.0)
	Tertiary	14	14 (100)	0 (0.00
Religion	Orthodox	50	46 (92.0)	4 (8.0)	X^2 = 1.333 p = 0.248
	Muslim	10	8 (80.0)	2 (20.0)
Marital status	Married	50	44 (88)	6 (12)	X^2 = 1.333 p = 0.721
	Divorced	2	2 (100)	0 (0.0)
	Single	4	4 (100)	0 (0.0)
	Widowed	4	4 (100)	0 (0.0)
Experience (in years)	Under 5	2	2 (100)	0 (0.0)	X^2=1.333 p = 0.513
	6–10	8	8 (100)	0 (0.0)
	Over 10	50	44 (88)	6 (12)

Table 2. Traditional healers’ knowledge about pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies (n = 60).

Question	Responses	Frequency (n)	Percentage (n %)
Which PE and MSs have you heard of	Not heard about any equipment and supplies	6	10.0
	Only glove	2	3.3
	Only milling machine	2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula, graduating cylinder, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine	8	13.3
	Needle, glove, and syringe	12	20.0
	Mortar and pestle, needle, syringe, and milling machine	4	6.7
	Needle, glove, syringe, and milling machine	2	3.3
	Needle, glove, syringe and thermometer	2	3.3
	Needle and glove	10	16.7
	Beaker, needle, glove, graduating cylinder, and syringe	6	10.0
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine	2	3.3
	Beaker, glove, and syringe	2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, glove, and tile and spatula	2	3.3

Table 3. History of using pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies by traditional healers (n = 60).

Question	Responses	Frequency (n)	Percentage (n %)
Which PE and MSs have you ever used	Not use any equipment and supplies	12	20.0
	Only glove	4	6.7
	Only milling machine	4	6.7
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula, graduating cylinder, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine	4	6.7
	Needle, glove, and syringe	12	20.0
	Mortar and pestle, needle, syringe, and milling machine	4	6.7
	Needle, glove, syringe, and milling machine	2	3.3
	Needle, glove, syringe and thermometer	2	3.3
	Needle, glove, tile and spatula, graduating cylinder, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine	2	3.3
	Beaker, needle, glove, graduating cylinder, and syringe	4	6.7
	Glove and syringe	2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine	2	3.3
	Beaker, glove, and syringe	2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, glove, and tile and spatula	2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula	2	3.3

Table 4. Current usage status of pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies by traditional healers (n = 60).

Question		Responses	Frequency (n)	Percentage (n %)
Which PE and MSs currently you use	Not use currently any equipment and supplies		12	20.0
	Only glove		4	6.7
	Only milling machine		4	6.7
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula, graduating cylinder, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine		4	6.7
	Needle, glove, and syringe		12	20.0
	Mortar and pestle, needle, syringe, and milling machine		4	6.7
	Needle, glove, syringe, and milling machine		2	3.3
	Needle, glove, syringe and thermometer		2	3.3
	Needle, glove, tile and spatula, graduating cylinder, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine		2	3.3
	Beaker, needle, glove, graduating cylinder, and syringe		4	6.7
	Glove and syringe		2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula, syringe, thermometer, and milling machine		2	3.3
	Beaker, glove, and syringe		2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, glove, and tile and spatula		2	3.3
	Mortar and pestle, beaker, needle, glove, tile and spatula		2	3.3

Table 5. Way of learning about traditional treatment, pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies (n = 60).

Questions	Responses	Frequency (N)	Percentage (n %)
Way of learning about PE and MSs	Pharmacy advice only	4	6.7
	Family only	32	53.3
	Religious school only	6	10.0
	Pharmacy advice, friend, radio, television, newspapers, family, and religious school	2	3.3
	Pharmacy advice, television, family and religious school	4	6.7
	Friend and family	4	6.7
	Pharmacy advice and family	2	3.3
	Friend, radio, television, family, and religious school	2	3.3
	Modern education	2	3.3
	Pharmacy advice, friend, and radio	2	3.3
Knowledge on accessing area of PE and MSs	Yes	48	80
	No	12	20
Training on PE and MSs	Yes	28	46.7
	No	32	53.3

Table 6. Purchasing area, purchasing frequency, spent for purchasing, and reason for not purchasing by traditional healers (n = 60).

Questions		Responses	Frequency (n)	Percentage (n %)
Where you purchase PE and MSs	Not use (purchase)		12	20.0
	Wholesalers only		6	10.0
	Supermarket only		36	60.0
	Wholesalers, PFSA, supermarket, and donation		2	3.3
	Wholesalers and supermarket		4	6.7
PE and MSs purchasing frequency per month	Not use (purchase)		12	20.0
	Once		32	53.3
	1-3 times		12	20.0
	More than 3 times		4	6.7
Spent for PE and MSs	Not use (purchase)		12	20.0
	Below 1000		28	46.7
	1000-5000		18	30.0
	Above 5000		2	3.3
Reason for not using PE and MSs	Use PE & MS		48	80.0
	I do not want to Cost		3	5.0
	I have not information about them		1	1.7
	I want to use self-prepared equipment		7	11.7
	I haven’t information about them; and I want to use self-prepared equipment		1	1.7

Table 7. Traditional healers’ practices towards pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies use (n = 60).

Questions	Responses	Frequency (n)	Percentage (n %)
Frequency of use PE and MSs	Always	8	13.3
	Sometimes	40	66.7
	Never	12	20.0
Frequency checking status of PE and MSs	Always	14	23.3
	Sometimes	26	43.3
	Never	20	33.3
Frequency cleaning agent use for PE and MSs	Always	8	13.3
	Sometimes	30	50.0
	Never	22	36.7
Frequency cleaning of PE and MSs	Always	9	15.0
	Sometimes	35	58.3
	Never	16	26.7
Frequency of getting information on PE and MSs from pharmacy professionals	Always	6	10.0
	Sometimes	22	36.7
	Never	32	53.3
Discuss about PE and MSs with other THs	Always	2	3.3
	Sometimes	20	33.3
	Never	38	63.3

Table 8. General equipment used by traditional healers (n = 60).

Question	Responses	Frequency (n)	Percentage n %
How you prepare medicines	Pharmaceutical equipment	6	10.0
	Wood prepared materials	10	16.7
	Cooking materials	12	20.0
	Wood prepared materials, Cooking materials, and Stone	2	3.3
	Pharmaceutical equipment; Wood prepared materials, Cooking materials, and Stone	14	23.3
	Pharmaceutical equipment, Wood prepared materials, and Cooking materials	4	6.7
	Wood prepared materials, and Cooking materials	6	10.0
	Patient equipment	2	3.3
	Pharmaceutical equipment, and Stone	2	3.3
	Pharmaceutical equipment, Wood prepared materials, and Stone	2	3.3