Skin Conditions and Traditional MedicinePATTMIDCNCT07812844
Public Attitudes Towards Traditional Medicine in Dermatological Care Within Blantyre, Malawi: Insights From Subject Matter Experts
An observational study of Skin Conditions and Traditional Medicine, run by University of Edinburgh.
Trial summary
This study aims to understand how people in Blantyre, Malawi recognise and manage common skin problems, and what role traditional medicine plays in their care. The main question it aims to answer are: How do people recognise and treat common skin conditions What can we learn from traditional knowledge to improve skin… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Skin Conditions and Traditional Medicine
- How many people
- 13 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 13 Dec 2026to 6 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Adults who are clinicians or subject matter experts on skin conditions in Blantyre, Malawi.
Who may be able to join
- Over the age of 18
- Speaks English
- Involvement in the provision of care or study of skin conditions in either Western Medicine or Malawian ethnobotany
- Willing and able to provide informed verbal consent.
Who cannot join
- Under 18 years of age
- Individuals unable to give informed consent such as people lacking capacity
- Vulnerable populations such as children, refugees, prisoners, and individuals who are politically powerless
- Unwilling and unable to provide informed verbal consent.
About this study
This study aims to understand how people in Blantyre, Malawi recognise and manage common skin problems, and what role traditional medicine plays in their care. The main question it aims to answer are:
- How do people recognise and treat common skin conditions
- What can we learn from traditional knowledge to improve skin education and care Participants will take part in a study lasting 20 minutes. They will be asked about their experiences and where they seek help.
Read the detailed description
This is an 8-week study through which is intended to conduct a review of the use of traditional medicine in dermatologic care through interviews with patients and traditional healers. The findings would allow equitable knowledge exchange about presentations of skin conditions on black skin and treatment approaches that center African knowledge systems.
Within Western medical education, in lectures and medical textbooks, there is a lack of teaching and images depicting the presentation of skin conditions on darker skin. This is a problem because diagnosis is dependent on the pattern recognition skills of the clinician, therefore, a lack of exposure to images of darker skin increases the chance of misdiagnosis. In various countries in sub-Saharan Africa, there are few dermatologists in the region and healthcare workers in the primary sector are not sufficiently trained to manage common skin conditions. The knowledge generated in Western countries informs practices in sub-Saharan Africa with little adaptation to suit the local needs of the population. This also holds true for the medical training in these countries, which upholds medical racism because the curricula are not decolonised. Apart from the direct practice of dermatology, healthcare workers are also responsible for improving the health literacy of their population. The chief investigator spoke to a doctor currently practising in Malawi, who mentioned that black skin is mostly depicted in books focusing on tropical medicine, while other medical books depict white skin. The intention of this study is to conduct interviews exploring this topic and create drawings that depict skin conditions on darker skin.
It is important to understand the approaches that local cultures use to manage common skin conditions, which range from recognition to treatment strategies. This includes the use of traditional medicine - ethnobotanical practices and healers - that are more easily accessible than the local dermatologists, whose access tends to be limited to the private sector. This study will have a particular focus on how laypeople/the public engage with dermatology.
There is a need for the development of programs and resources that incorporate Western biomedical knowledge with local indigenous ways of knowing. This research is important to bring visibility, as a lack of prioritisation of black skin health in Western countries directly translates to the experience of people dealing with skin conditions in African countries.
- Conditions
- Skin Conditions and Traditional Medicine
- Keywords
- dermatology, skin conditions, traditional medicine, ethnomedicine, Blantyre, Malawi, semi-structured interviews, decolonising medicine, health equity, health literacy
- Medical subject headings
- Skin Diseases
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number and content of themes describing participants' understanding and the role of traditional medicine use in the identification, treatment, and management of skin conditions, using reflexive thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews
Measured: Single interview at enrollment
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Sep 2026
- Study start13 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion16 Aug 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion6 Sep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Skin Conditions and Traditional MedicineStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of EdinburghThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Edinburgh
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07812844
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- AC26013
- Acronym
- PATTMIDC
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 1 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 28 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: This is sensitive information that, if shared, could increase the likelihood of identifying the participants.
Publications
Mosam A, Todd G. Dermatology Training in Africa: Successes and Challenges. Dermatol Clin. 2021 Jan;39(1):57-71. doi: 10.1016/j.det.2020.08.006.
PubMed 33228862Makaula PU, Chateau AV, Hift RJ, Dlova NC, Mosam A. The impact of basic dermatology education and training on primary healthcare providers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2021 Jan 15;63(1):e1-e5. doi: 10.4102/safp.v63i1.5200.
PubMed 33567838
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Public Attitudes Towards Traditional Medicine in Dermatological Care Within Blantyre, Malawi: Insights From Subject Matter Experts
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07812844
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PATTMIDC / AC26013
- Conditions
- Skin Conditions and Traditional Medicine
- Keywords
- dermatology, skin conditions, traditional medicine, ethnomedicine, Blantyre, Malawi, semi-structured interviews, decolonising medicine
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of EdinburghUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 16 Aug 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 6 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to understand how people in Blantyre, Malawi recognise and manage common skin problems, and what role traditional medicine plays in their care. The main question it aims to answer are:
- How do people recognise and treat common skin conditions
- What can we learn from traditional knowledge to improve skin education and care Participants will take part in a study lasting 20 minutes. They will be asked about their experiences and where they seek help.
Detailed description
This is an 8-week study through which is intended to conduct a review of the use of traditional medicine in dermatologic care through interviews with patients and traditional healers. The findings would allow equitable knowledge exchange about presentations of skin conditions on black skin and treatment approaches that center African knowledge systems.
Within Western medical education, in lectures and medical textbooks, there is a lack of teaching and images depicting the presentation of skin conditions on darker skin. This is a problem because diagnosis is dependent on the pattern recognition skills of the clinician, therefore, a lack of exposure to images of darker skin increases the chance of misdiagnosis. In various countries in sub-Saharan Africa, there are few dermatologists in the region and healthcare workers in the primary sector are not sufficiently trained to manage common skin conditions. The knowledge generated in Western countries informs practices in sub-Saharan Africa with little adaptation to suit the local needs of the population. This also holds true for the medical training in these countries, which upholds medical racism because the curricula are not decolonised. Apart from the direct practice of dermatology, healthcare workers are also responsible for improving the health literacy of their population. The chief investigator spoke to a doctor currently practising in Malawi, who mentioned that black skin is mostly depicted in books focusing on tropical medicine, while other medical books depict white skin. The intention of this study is to conduct interviews exploring this topic and create drawings that depict skin conditions on darker skin.
It is important to understand the approaches that local cultures use to manage common skin conditions, which range from recognition to treatment strategies. This includes the use of traditional medicine - ethnobotanical practices and healers - that are more easily accessible than the local dermatologists, whose access tends to be limited to the private sector. This study will have a particular focus on how laypeople/the public engage with dermatology.
There is a need for the development of programs and resources that incorporate Western biomedical knowledge with local indigenous ways of knowing. This research is important to bring visibility, as a lack of prioritisation of black skin health in Western countries directly translates to the experience of people dealing with skin conditions in African countries.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Adults who are clinicians or subject matter experts on skin conditions in Blantyre, Malawi.
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Over the age of 18
- Speaks English
- Involvement in the provision of care or study of skin conditions in either Western Medicine or Malawian ethnobotany
- Willing and able to provide informed verbal consent.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Under 18 years of age
- Individuals unable to give informed consent such as people lacking capacity
- Vulnerable populations such as children, refugees, prisoners, and individuals who are politically powerless
- Unwilling and unable to provide informed verbal consent.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Number and content of themes describing participants' understanding and the role of traditional medicine use in the identification, treatment, and management of skin conditions, using reflexive thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews
Time frame: Single interview at enrollment
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 33228862Mosam A, Todd G. Dermatology Training in Africa: Successes and Challenges. Dermatol Clin. 2021 Jan;39(1):57-71. doi: 10.1016/j.det.2020.08.006.
- Background: PubMed 33567838Makaula PU, Chateau AV, Hift RJ, Dlova NC, Mosam A. The impact of basic dermatology education and training on primary healthcare providers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. S Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2021 Jan 15;63(1):e1-e5. doi: 10.4102/safp.v63i1.5200.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. This is sensitive information that, if shared, could increase the likelihood of identifying the participants.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Skin Conditions and Traditional Medicine, run by University of Edinburgh.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number and content of themes describing participants' understanding and the role of traditional medicine use in the identification, treatment, and management of skin conditions, using reflexive thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews (time frame: Single interview at enrollment). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07812844, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Sep 2026.