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Table 1 Interview guideline

From: Traditional healing practices in rural Bangladesh: a qualitative investigation

Questions to the healers

Questions to the patients

1. Would you please tell me about your socio- economic information (age, religion, level of education, occupation and monthly income)?

1. Would you please tell me about your socio- economic information (age, religion, level of education, occupation and monthly income)?

2. Please tell me, how did you come to be a healer? Recall and inform me in details; what was it like? Can anyone become a healer or do you think it is special gift? What is the source of your healing knowledge?

2. Please describe what you have experienced during the healing process? What did you feel then? Did it make any change in your life? How?

3. For how many years have you been practicing traditional healing?

3. For how many years have you been using the services from traditional healers practicing?

4. Do you consider yourself to be a positive or both positive and negative influence for the patients? If yes/no, how?

4. Have you ever experienced negative effects of traditional healing? If yes, how?

5. Please describe, what type of healing practices do you perform? Please tell me how a healing activity takes place? Maybe you can share an example of recent healing practice? Do you pursue other professions besides healing?

5. Please describe, what type of healing practices do you usually follow for you and for your family? Maybe you can share an example of how have you benefited in healing?

6. Do you prepare yourself for a healing treatment? Where does the healing take places? Who participate in it? Do you follow any specific healing time?

6. Did you prepare yourself for the healing treatment? Where did the treatment take place? Who participates in it?

7. Who usually visits you, how and why? How do people find you?

7. Who do you usually visit, how and why? How do people find a healer? Have you been to other healers before?

8. How would you consider the following: disease, health and cure? What do you think are the causes of disease?

8. How would you consider the following: disease, health and cure? What do you think are the causes of disease?

9. What are the processes you follow for diagnosis a problem?

9. What did you expect from healing treatment? Why did you consult with a healer?

10. What are the usual disorders for which you offer healing? How do you feel about conventional doctors? What are the eligibility criteria you follow to be healed in traditional healing?

10. How are you, since you resorted to the traditional healing system? What exactly has changed? When did the change begin?

11. What are the healing requirements or rituals you suggest for the patients? Do you follow any preventive measures in your healing practices?

11. How do particular beliefs or religions function in healing?

12. How do particular beliefs or religions function in healing?

12. If following a traditional healing does not work as curative, what else you do?

13. Do you apply your healing knowledge to your family or for yourself? Do you wish your children or your next generation to devote themselves to the healing profession?

13. When was the first time you visited a healer? Recall, what was it like? Tell me something about your life and disease history.