Child Healers in the Relationship Between Health and Culture: Traditional Healers

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how folk medicine functions in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood illnesses within the context of the relationship between health and culture, and to reveal the importance the public attributes to folk medicine. To this end, a qualitative research method was employed to understand what active practices are carried out for childhood illnesses in Aksaray/Eskil district and surrounding villages, and how they are implemented. The interview technique was used, and a total of 20 participants—13 women and 7 men—were interviewed. Purposive sampling was used to reach the participants. The findings indicate that, despite advances in modern medicine, folk medicine and traditional treatment methods continue to be regarded and practised as an alternative to modern medicine. It was also concluded that treatment practices shaped within cultural frameworks continue to function as an effective method in the naming and treatment of various childhood illnesses.