NOVAFRICA Seminar: Clara Sievert, CERGE-EI – Supernatural Beliefs about Illness and the Use of Modern Medicine: Evidence from the DR Congo

In our upcoming NOVAFRICA Research Seminar, we are pleased to welcome Professor Clara Sievert, from CERGE-EI, on Wednesday, 09th September, at 11:30 AM (Lisbon time), in Room D004, at the Nova School of Business and Economics, Carcavelos campus. Who will present his paper:

“Supernatural Beliefs about Illness and the Use of Modern Medicine: Evidence from the DR Congo”

Abstract

In many societies around the world, individuals attribute illness to supernatural forces such as spirits, curses, or divine punishment. Despite rich qualitative documentation, systematic empirical evidence on the prevalence, behavioral consequences, and adaptability of supernatural illness beliefs remains scarce. In a first step, I use publicly available survey data from sub-Saharan Africa and newly collected survey data from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to document that supernatural illness beliefs are widespread: 94% of respondents in the DRC attribute at least one illness to supernatural causes, with large variation across illnesses. These beliefs matter: they are associated with lower perceived efficacy of modern medicine, lower use of modern medicine, and higher stigma toward those with certain illnesses. In a second step, I conduct a field experiment in the DRC to test whether such beliefs can shift. I randomize exposure to an informational video about the biomedical causes and treatment of epilepsy, a prevalent condition most commonly attributed to supernatural causes. The intervention shifts respondents’ beliefs away from supernatural illness beliefs and toward beliefs in the effectiveness of modern medicine, not only for epilepsy but also for other illnesses. It increases take-up of free hospital consultations for epilepsy by 50% and reduces stigma toward those with the condition. Taken together, the findings suggest that beliefs about illness causation shape the perceived returns to modern medical care, influence health behavior and social perceptions, and may thereby constitute an important barrier to healthcare.

Find out more about this and other NOVAFRICA seminars here.

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