Traditional Medical Knowledge of the Phu Tai Ethnic Group in Northeastern Thailand: Part 1 Methodology and Samples of Healers

Abstract

This qualitative study was carried out during the period 2005-2006, with the aims of compiling the perception of diseases/ illness among the Phu Tai ethnic group, to describe the health conditions treated and treatment methods, and to identify the herbs used in their treatment. A list of 461 Phu Thai traditional healers was retrieved from four of the group’s most populated provincial public health offices, Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, and Mukdahan. Two hundred and sixty-three of these healers were randomly sampled for general interviews, and six inclusion criteria were proposed for selection of these traditional healers for further in-depth studies. Finally, 20 healers (10 herbalists, 6 “blowing” healers, and 4 “Yao” healers) were included in this study. Profile interview, socio-demographic interview, free-lists, health condition logs, observation and unstructured interviews, treatment method interviews, participatory observation and specimen collection were the methodologies applied to gain information. This report is the first part of this research, dealing with methodology, inclusion criteria of the Phu Tai healers studied, and the healers selected for this study. The results on the health conditions treated and methods of treatments, their role as health practitioners, uses of materia medica, relationship between healers and local natural resources, and effect of sociodemographic factors on materia medica knowledge will be discussed in forthcoming papers.