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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The malaria cognate: folk classification of illness among the Abagusii of Kenya |
Author: | Nyamongo, Isaac K. |
Year: | 1997 |
Periodical: | African Anthropology (ISSN 1024-0969) |
Volume: | 4 |
Issue: | 2 |
Period: | September |
Pages: | 27-36 |
Language: | English |
Notes: | biblio. refs. |
Geographic terms: | Kenya East Africa |
Subjects: | Gusii diseases malaria Health and Nutrition Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Medicine, Nutrition, Public Health Diagnosis Health surveys Therapeutics Self medication |
Abstract: | Based on ongoing research among the Abagusii in the Suneka area of Kisii District, Kenya, the author reports on people's diagnosis of malaria, their perception of the cause, and their methods of treatment. People tend to associate certain 'illnesses', such as vomiting, fever, general body and joint pains, stomach ache, dizziness and headache, with malaria. The author calls this cluster of illnesses the malaria cognate. People's response to malaria may be influenced in part by the judged similarity between malaria and other illnesses. The cost of malaria treatment is also a primary factor in a patient's illness behaviour. Bibliogr., sum. |