# Knowledge, attitude and practices of buruli ulcer among residents in Jasikan municipality of Ghana: an ethnographic study

## TL;DR

This study explores how residents in Ghana understand and manage Buruli ulcer, a tropical disease, revealing varied beliefs and negative attitudes toward patients.

## Contribution

The study provides ethnographic insights into local perceptions and practices related to Buruli ulcer in a specific Ghanaian municipality.

## Key findings

- Respondents attributed Buruli ulcer to evil spirits or had no knowledge of its cause.
- Patients sought treatment from health facilities, prayer camps, herbalists, and self-medicated.
- Residents without the disease showed negative attitudes toward Buruli ulcer patients.

## Abstract

Buruli ulcer is part of the neglected tropical diseases in the world. The disease often starts with a pre-ulcerative nodule, a plaque or oedema which breaks down to form characteristic ulcers with undermined edges. The mode of transmission and identifying source reservoirs of the causative organism of the disease are still largely unknown.

This study explored the knowledge, attitude and practices of Buruli ulcer among residents in Jasikan Municipality of Ghana using an ethnographic study.

The study employed an ethnographic approach. The data were collected from 20 study participants using in-depth interview guide. The data were presented using thematic analysis.

Respondents knowledge on Buruli ulcer varied. Some respondents attributed the cause of the disease to evil spirits and some respondents had no knowledge on what cause the disease. The study found that Buruli ulcer patients sought treatment in health facilities, prayer camps, herbalists home and practiced self-medications. The findings revealed that, residents without the disease had negative attitude towards Buruli ulcer patients.

Knowledge of respondents on Buruli ulcer varied and various practices were used to manage the disease. The attitude of participants towards the disease was unfavourvable.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-23367-y.