Over the last few years, Canadians have increased their usage of alternative or complementary medicine following recommendations by an Ad Hoc Committee on medical pluralism. However, only few studies have looked at this trend in health seeking behaviour. It has been predicted that with the increase in the adoption of modern life , the beliefs in, and the practice of ethno-medicine will become a thing of the past for many African immigrants. This work examines Ghanaian immigrants in Toronto, Canada, considering how acculturation was related to attitudes and usage of Traditional Medicine (TM). Although Ghanaians in Canada have access to one of the best health care systems in the world, they still have positive attitudes toward TM, and there is no evidence to suggest that traditional beliefs have been undermined to such an extent that there is a change in attitude toward TM. This work has implications for health care reform, practice, research and health care policy in Canada now that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has endorsed Complementary Medicine. Both social workers and health care professionals will find this work very useful in multicultural societies.

Autorentext

Dr. Kofi Bobi Barimah was educated at the University of Ghana (BA, Psychology); Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada (MA, Community Psychology); University of Guelph, Canada (MSc, Rural Extension); University of Aberdeen, Scotland (Ph.D, Public Health). He is the Dean of the Faculty of Public Health & Allied Sciences, Catholic University of Ghana.