Characteristics and the experiences of the people who seek holy water cure at a religious site in northern Ethiopia

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12506
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Miho 長崎大学, 熱帯医学・グローバルヘルス研究科, 准教授 (40607256)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 本田 純久 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 教授 (90244053)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: エチオピア / 聖水 / 健康希求行動 / K10 / SF36

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the characteristics and quality of life of those seeking treatment with holy water. The data of a total of 171 people who sought holy water were analyzed. Those who sought holy water for health reasons had lower physical health (p=0.007) and mental health (p=0.015) than those who did not. Respondents over 50 years old (p=0.032) with primary education (p=0.004) had lower physical health than other respondents; those aged 30-49 (p=0.033) and those who used public transportation had significantly higher mental health (p=0.009). Finally, those who sought religious or traditional care first had higher mental health than those who sought modern Western medical care first (p< 0.001).

Free Research Field

公衆衛生学、人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、エチオピア北部の３か所の修道院において、1．聖水を求める人々の特性、2．聖水を求める人々の健康に関する生活の質、精神疾患の程度の評価、3．聖水にたどり着くまでの治療行動、を明らかにした。特に調査地では、健康を訪問の理由に挙げた者が８割、若者、高学歴の者も少なくない、という訪問者の特性、ならびに、宗教的ケアを第一の治療と選択した者の精神的健康度が有意に高い、という結果が得られ、今後の調査地におけるヘルスプロモーション活動に示唆を与えることが期待される。