African traditional practices and their public health implications

Background: Health and culture of the people are interwoven; the latter is a determinant of the former. Culture dictates the behavior and belief of people, hence in Africa; there are several traditional practices with various health implications. These doctrines thrived in Africa continent due to dearth of
in-depth studies on the health impacts of the abhorrent practices.
Objective: To analyze the health effects of Africa traditional practices and beliefs on the with a view to identifying the responsible factors for their choices in making it part their lifestyle during the need of medical care and treatment.
Methods: This study was a review of previous studies on traditional practices and beliefs in Africa. Ten traditional health practices affecting mostly women and children were reviewed with emphasis on public health implications of each to ascertain if they are to be encouraged or annulled.
Results: A summary of the review shows that most of the practices and beliefs may have negative effects as their effects are not scientifically supported.
Conclusion: To address the public health issues regarding unsafe traditional health practices for women and children in Africa, it is imperative to consider why some women subscribe to the unsafe health traditions. This allows for determination of measures and practices to encourage for behavioral
change wheel.