29 March 2011 | Seattle
A panel session was dedicated to Buruli ulcer and the influence of applied social science. Members of the Stop Buruli consortium presented several case studies illustrating the salient social science issues and the practical, on-the-ground challenges to adequately control and treatment of the disease. Conference details | PDF: See presentation

Mark Nichter provided an overview of Buruli ulcer and the salient social science issues and challenges associated with the disease. Mark provided a brief summary of some of the health service pilot interventions being explored by Stop Buruli social scientists and their health staff colleagues in Benin, Cameroon and Ghana as a means of 1) promoting early BU recognition in the community, 2) reducing treatment delay and drop out, 3) reducing household burden and suffering, 4) providing patient support, and 5) exploring forms of motivation for participating community volunteers and healers (see presentation).

Arnaud Amoussouhoui provided a paper which used case studies to illustrate key findings that emerged from formative research on BU carried out in tow regions of Benin .He highlighted reasons why people delayed coming to treatment, refused treatment after diagnosis, or were dissatisfied with treatment. These case studies provided valuable insights which complemented the quantitative data collected during survey research.

Awah Paschal Kum provided a paper which explained why collaboration with traditional healers was necessary to consider in Bankim Cameroon, and the conditions under which this might take place. He pointed out that healers are already engaged in referral with each other and with hospital staff, and that healer organizations and local chieftaincy systems need to be actively involved in any efforts taken to encourage collaborations such that oversight may be established. He emphasized that traditional practitioners are practical and recognize the place of biomedicine, but want good, respectful collaboration that recognizes their holistic care.

James Leslie Kennel described what wounds mean to the Aja people in Benin, and the importance of watching wounds ripen as a local form of diagnosis and not treating them during this period. Like Awah, he described how the biomedical and traditional domains of knowledge currently intersect and compete. James provided an in depth ethnophysiological study of local diagnosis and divination that needs to be addressed in health education and BU outreach.

Micah Boyer highlighted medical rumor in Benin, looking at how narratives (about pain, grafting, surgery, amputation, paradoxical response, etc) relating to Buruli ulcer and its treatment circulate and persist. Micah pointed to equivalence between stories "from below" about BU and health care practices and stories "from above" that circulate among biomedical personnel about traditional beliefs and practices. He considered the importance of illness stories both in terms of and beyond whether they actually influenced treatment-seeking behavior.