Argues that culture and religion can influence mental health, and that clinicians in rural South Africa and similar settings should consider these dynamics more fully than routine dualistic clinical assessment allows, using a case from Limpopo province to illustrate the point.
Abstract
Culture and religion may impact on mental health. A case from Limpopo province is described with the aim of informing and alerting medical and nursing practitioners working in rural South Africa (with relevance no doubt to other similar African settings) to the dynamics of the case that may warrant more comprehensive attention and consideration, than may be generally afforded in the routine dualistic clinical assessment of patients.