Pengalaman Masyarakat Suku Batak Mandailing dalam Pemilihan Pengobatan Tradisional di Desa Sitinjak Kecamatan Angkola Barat Kabupaten Tapanuli Selatan

Abstract

Traditional medicine is one of the alternative treatments still used by the Mandailing Batak community in Sitinjak Village to heal various ailments. Cultural and economic factors are among the reasons why the community relies on traditional medicine. This study aims to describe and explore the experiences of the Mandailing Batak community in Sitinjak Village in choosing traditional medicine. This research uses a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach and purposive sampling technique. The participants of this study were 15 individuals from the Mandailing Batak community in Sitinjak Village. The research questions focus on the community's experiences in using traditional medicine. The results of the study show that the community's experiences with traditional medicine vary, with the majority using herbal treatments. The community gains many benefits from using traditional medicine. Besides traditional medicine, some individuals still believe in the efficacy of Datu medicine and often combine traditional and herbal medicine. The community also hopes that traditional medicine can be preserved and integrated with modern medical treatments. This research is expected to contribute to educating the public on the safe use of traditional medicine and promoting the integration of traditional and modern medicine to enhance healing outcomes.