Factors influencing the use of traditional healing among farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Traditional healing is a common practice among low and middle income in Nigeria. The study examines the factors influencing the use of traditional healing among farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of three hundred (300) respondents were selected using a multi-stage random sampling technique. The findings revealed the following factors influencing farmers to use traditional healing: (1) far distance of farm settlements to hospitals, (2) low income of farmers, (3) effectiveness of traditional healing practices (4) believe in difficult–to–treat illness/diseases. Findings also revealed that majority (93.7%) utilize both traditional and western medicine with almost all had no social-cultural belief against the use of western medicine. The chi-square analysis further showed significant relationship (p 0.05) between frequency of use traditional healing and level of education, farmer’s income and tradition healing practices effectiveness. Based on the study, the study concludes that the use of traditional healing practices among farmers is influenced by lot of factors. The study recommends that traditional healing practices curing illness/diseases common among farmers should be properly sanctioned and be given proper recognition by government health system, as well as providing collaboration between traditional and western medicine in order to boost health care delivery in rural farming communities.