Moving traditional Caribbean medicine practices into healthcare in Canada

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to describe Caribbean traditional medicine and to consider whether and how it could be integrated into health systems in Canada.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs a literature review and synthesis.

Findings

Caribbean traditional healing takes a variety of forms reflecting the diversity of histories of the people of the Caribbean. A number of arguments including quality, equity, cost, and social climate will be important factors in facilitating or hindering the expansion of these complementary therapies. However, linking an expansion of therapies to other policy imperatives such as developing stronger communities and expansion of trade may make success more likely.

Research limitations/implications

This is a narrative and document review. It is an argument which aims to produce discussion rather than empirical research.

Practical implications

Taking a discursive narrative approach to difficult policy issues may help in considering strategies for promoting change.

Originality/value

This is the first study which has attempted to consider traditional Caribbean medicine in the Canadian context. It is also the first to consider the strategies for convincing health systems to adopt this form of complementary medicine.

Citation

McKenzie, K., Tuck, A. and Noh, M.S. (2011), "Moving traditional Caribbean medicine practices into healthcare in Canada", Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care, Vol. 4 No. 2, pp. 60-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/17570981111193547