The University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research/ACPACS, Level 2, Building 31B. St. Lucia., Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. Electronic address: v.igreja@uq.edu.au.
2 papers in the library · 94 citations · publishing 2006-2010
In post-civil war Mozambique (2003-2004), a study of 941 adults assessed harmful spirit possession. Prevalence varied by severity: 18.6% of participants suffered from at least one harmful spirit, and 5.6% of those had two or more. Possessed individuals experienced greater health impairment compared to non-possessed individuals. The study used a combined quantitative-qualitative design and suggests that understanding local beliefs about spirit possession and its community prevalence is essential for designing culturally sensitive public health interventions.
Prolonged exposure to civil war in central Mozambique leads to sequential traumatic experiences for most women, producing ill health that ranges from posttraumatic stress symptoms to episodes of spirit possession (gamba). These effects impair women's ability to conceive and raise children and marginalize their social position. The study assessed 91 women using quantitative and qualitative methods. The authors recommend careful analysis of women's specific problems and needs in postwar contexts, along with systematic examination of available resources that may aid trauma recovery.