Myths, Fallacies and Misconceptions: Applying Social Marketing for Promoting Appropriate Health Seeking Behavior in Pakistan

Abstract

Myths and fallacies have existed ever since societies began, influencing the perceptions about health, and the cause and cure of health related problems. The role of such myths in governing the health and health seeking behavior of people is quite explicit. Misconceptions about breast-feeding, pre-lacteal feed, weaning, dietary habits and other health related matters are commonly heard in the cultures of developing countries. False perceptions have undoubtedly an impact on the health seeking behavior. People coming from the low socio-economic strata in rural areas suffer the most. They lack access to formal health care services and are unable to afford specialized medical care. This gives rise to alternative health seeking behaviors. A considerable majority of people prefer to go to spiritual healers, quacks and other non-formal health providers for the treatment of their ailments. This paper has reviewed a variety of myths, fallacies and misconceptions collectively in the cultural context and has attempted to relate them to the health seeking behaviors of Pakistani people. The paper is based on the contemporary literature review and library work, focusing on finding the feasible strategies to address a variety of myths and misconceptions. Since myths have many adverse implications on the health of the people, an effective way of motivating low income and high risk people to adopt healthy behavior is ‘social marketing’. Creating ‘health promotion committees’ at village level sounds like another doable strategy to ameliorate the situation in order to educate people to take care of not only their own health but of the future generations as well.

Notes

Note

[1] In response to an anonymous reviewer's comment, the intervention option, an issue not dealt with here, is probably outside the scope of this paper. The issue of health promotion raises expectations ahead of the ability to easily access services of acceptable quality, which unfortunately is not the case in many areas of rural Pakistan. The authors believe this paper has adequately dealt with one side of the story, i.e. on what peoples’ health practices and behaviors are, based on their knowledge tarnished as it is with misconceptions, etc. It is a known fact that the health care system of Pakistan is generally not responsive enough, except in areas where health care services have been contracted out. While working with communities on behavior change interventions, serious thought ought to be given to bring about radical changes in the health care system. Nevertheless, raising demand in the community for quality services may actually initiate a transformation in the health care system—health promotion interventions being a catalyst therein.