Misconceptions to Primary Pyomyositis in Post-conflict Northern Uganda

Aims: To assess the perceptions and views of the community to the possible causes and the factors responsible for the high prevalence of primary pyomyositis in the region.
Study Design: A cross-sectional study design
Place and Duration of Study: Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and 4 other Hospitals in Northern Uganda from September 2011 to September 2013.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted on primary pyomyositis patients, their relatives, health workers and managers of hospitals. Qualitative research methods such as Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, and In-Depth Interviews were used to obtain the information on the possible causes, experiences and socio-economic effects of the disease to their family, community, health facility and the patients. The information obtained was triangulated before transcribing to an electronic text. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the IRB of Gulu University Medical School and Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCS&T). Thematic content analysis was used for data analysis.
Results: There was a wide and varying view about pyomyositis, its causes, and its socio-economic effects to the patient, family, health facilities and communities. The knowledge of the community on the disease is completely at variant with that of health workers and this may present with lack of compliant of patients to the western medical treatment in health facilities. The community beliefs that it is caused by witchcraft and that traditional methods by use of red hot arrow was the best method of management of the disease which should take place in the villages and not health facilities.
Conclusion: Pyomyositis is a common surgical disease and highly prevalent in Northern Uganda but there are misconceptions about its aetiology and approach to management.