Exploring the possibility of collaboration for biomedical professionals and traditional healers: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Introduction Traditional healers play a crucial role in healthcare provision, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Thus, there is a global interest in understanding the possibilities for collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical professionals. We believe there is the need for a comprehensive review on collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical professionals. Therefore, the aim of this review is to synthesise the literature on collaboration between traditional healer’s and biomedical professional including relevant interventions. Methods A systematic review was conducted, utilizing a search strategy in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Articles addressing collaboration between traditional healers and biomedical professionals were included, with a focus on attitudes, perceptions, interventions, and collaborative models. Data extraction followed a predefined template and the D’Amour et al. framework was employed for analysis. Results The review identified 29 relevant articles, predominantly conducted in Africa. The majority of studies (n=22) explored attitudes and perceptions, revealing a willingness among traditional healers to collaborate, while biomedical professionals exhibited mixed feelings. Seven studies focused on interventions aimed at fostering collaboration primarily focused on improving referral systems and educational initiatives. These studies found positive outcomes. Examining collaboration through the lens of D’Amour et al.’s framework revealed that trust was a significant barrier to collaboration. Conclusion This review highlights a willingness to collaborate amongst of traditional healers and biomedical professionals and provides some successful examples of working across systems. It also reveals areas for attention in developing collaborative models of working.