Community Perceptions of Traditional and Pharmaceutical Hypertension Treatments in Vryman’s Erven, Berbice, Guyana

This study explores the integration of traditional and pharmaceutical remedies in managing hypertension in the rural Berbice community (Vryman’s Erven), New Amsterdam, Guyana. Expanding the use of these remedies means evaluating their effectiveness, relevance to the culture, and barriers to patient adherence. Through qualitative research methods, this paper explores hypertensive patients’ views, attitudes, and self-reported use of herbal medicine in conjunction with conventional pharmaceuticals. The methodology involved semi-structured interviews with residents of New Amsterdam, Berbice, focusing on their preferences for managing hypertension using either pharmaceutical drugs or traditional remedies. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were employed to gather diverse perspectives, ensuring diverse perspectives from ten hypertensive individuals. Thematic analysis was performed on the insights of ten participants, which were recorded and transcribed and helped reach data saturation. The findings demonstrated a bifocal reliance on both pharmaceutical medicines and conventional therapies. The former was appreciated for its effectiveness, while the latter was preferred for its naturalness and safety. Many interviewees adopted a blended method of treatment by using both approaches depending on the availability, the assessment of the outcome, and cultural constructs. The findings also highlighted conceptual categories such as health-seeking behaviour, including regular self-monitoring and the role of education in blood pressure control. Concepts included overreliance on medication for quick symptomatic relief, use of herbal medicine as an adjunct for safety and cultural basis, and active case management, including self-monitoring. The availability and affordability of treatments and patient education and awareness greatly influenced treatment options. Adverse effects of conventional medicines, however, were some of the reasons for using herbal medicine. The implications speak to a disjuncture between traditional knowledge and contemporary medicine in rural hypertension management. They point to the necessity of healthcare systems properly considering perspective in expanding the scope of treatment strategies to ensure compliance. This study aids in addressing the gap in nested strategies of hypertension initiatives in poor resource areas and informs the formulation of culturally appropriate health policies. Including bigger and more diverse samples is essential to incorporate additional investigation for the generalizability concerns.