Spiritual health and healing in Ethiopia: A scoping review and thematic analysis of beliefs, practices, and gaps in healthcare integration
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) June 5, 2026 Belay Sitotaw Goshu, M; Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara Ridwan
Spirituality is central to health and healing in Ethiopia, but the evidence base is narrow and fragmented. A scoping review of 31 studies (1968–2026) found the literature is predominantly qualitative (55%) and focused on mental health (74%). Ethiopian Orthodox Christian contexts dominate (71%), while Muslim (33% of population) and indigenous spiritual traditions are severely underrepresented. Five themes emerged: spiritual causal frameworks for illness, spiritual healers as primary mental health providers, holy water (tsebel) as a central healing modality, spirituality as a coping resource, and profound gaps in healthcare integration—moderate nursing spiritual care competence (mean 3.45/5), only 21.5% of nurses trained in spiritual care, and no national collaboration policies. Ethiopia’s formal healthcare system operates parallel to, not in partnership with, spiritual healing systems.