Preference and Perception of Traditional Somali Health Practice, “Guboow”, Among Somali Mothers for Children’s Health
A cross-sectional survey of Somali mothers’ perceptions and preferences regarding the traditional healing practice Guboow for children’s health.
Research overview
This study examined Somali mothers’ preferences and perceptions regarding Guboow, a traditional Somali healing practice involving therapeutic skin branding for children’s health concerns.
The survey included 168 mothers attending a pediatric outpatient clinic in Mogadishu between December 2022 and January 2023.
The findings show that cultural beliefs, affordability, accessibility, distance from hospitals, and social pressure all influence mothers’ use of traditional health practices for children.
Key findings
- A total of 117 mothers (69.6%) reported using Guboow for their own children’s health.
- Pain was the most commonly reported condition for which Guboow was preferred.
- Common reasons included easy access, affordability, perceived effectiveness, lack of nearby hospitals, and social constraints.
- Mothers who viewed Guboow as harmful were less likely to recommend it to others.
Yardimeli staff participation
This publication includes participation from a Yardimeli Specialist Hospital staff member and lists Yardimeli Specialist Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, as an institutional affiliation where applicable.
Citation
Suluhan D, Mohamud RYH, Ahmed FH, et al. Preference and perception of traditional Somali health practice, “Guboow”, among Somali mothers for children’s health. BMC Public Health 26:1874 (2026). doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-27620-w
Open-access license
© 2026 the article authors. This publication is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Non-commercial sharing and distribution are permitted with proper credit; adapted material derived from the article may not be shared under this license.