Blessing as a health resource: cross-sectional study with elderly residents of rural areas

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with the search for folk healers for the treatment of health problems among elderly living in the rural area of the city of Rio Grande-RS. METHODS: Cross-sectional, population-based study with random sampling, carried out in 2017. The outcome was analyzed in three categories (never used/used in the last 12 months/used for more than 12 months). Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the associated factors. RESULTS: A total of 1,030 elderly individuals were interviewed. The prevalence of demand for folk healers in the last 12 months and for more than 12 months was 9.5% and 15.8%, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, the characteristics associated with the use of a folk healer for more than 12 months were: being in the age group of 80 years or more and having back problems and arthrosis. Following the evangelical religion was identified as a protective factor for using this resource. On the other hand, the demand for blessing in the last year was related to the age group of 70-79 years, following spiritual religions, presence of disease in the last 12 months, back problems and arthrosis, and preference for the use of urgency and emergency services. Being female was associated only with the use for more than 12 months. CONCLUSION: This study brings an original contribution to a topic poorly evaluated in epidemiological studies, because the knowledge of the frequency and determinants of the search for this type of popular therapy can be used to improve the quality and access to health services offered to the elderly population in rural areas.