Abstract

Background: Traditional cauterization, one of the ancient modalities of traditional medicine, has been practiced with the application of hot metal rods/knives over diseased body parts with the intention to treat different diseases. In Eritrea, a recent study reported a high prevalence of traditional cautery in patients visiting Massawa Hospital and this study was conducted to explore determinants of traditional cautery using the data collected previously.

Methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study in patients visiting Massawa Hospital of Eritrea. Data was collected through face to face interview using structured questionnaire. Both univariate and multivariate analysis were carried out to identify determinants of cautery.

Results: The study enrolled 900 patients with a median age of 42 years (Interquartile range: 20). Those who were aged (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.5-3.5; p<0.001), had no access to health facility (aOR: 6.9; 95% CI: 3.5-13.8; p<0.001) and had poor availability of means of transportation to health facility (aOR: 5.0; 95% CI: 2.7-9.3; p<0.001) were more likely to use traditional cautery compared to their counterparts. On the other hand, having relatively higher educational level (aOR: 0.2; 95% CI 0.2-0.3; p<0.001), monthly income of above 1000 Eritrean Nakfa (aOR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3-0.6; p<0.001), employed (aOR: 0.7; 95% CI 0.5-0.9; p<0.005) and living in urban Massawa sub-zone (aOR: 3.0; 95% CI 1.9-4.7; p<0.001) were less likely to practice traditional cautery compared to their counterparts.

Conclusion: Higher illiteracy rate, older age, limited access to health facility, poor means of transportation and having lower monthly income were the main determinants for the higher prevalence of traditional cautery on patients visiting Massawa Hospital of Eritrea.

Keywords: Traditional cautery; Prevalence; Determinants, Massawa Hospital; Eritrea