Dole-Dole Tradition in Health Seeking Behavior of Buton Society, Southeast Sulawesi

The cause of the disease is naturalistic and personalistic. Perception of the cause and cure of the disease is personalistic and also very close to the habits of the people of Buton.

The purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the pattern of Buton community health-seeking behavior on infants and under five years based on personalistic etiology.

This research used a qualitative ethnographic approach. The research site was conducted at Baubau. 12 informants were interviewed: 4 regular informants, 4 key informants, and 4 supporting informants. Data collection processes were by observation technique, in-depth interview, documentation, and FGD. Selection of informants was purposive sampling. Data were analyzed in the cultural domain for the category according to the research focus.

The results showed that the pattern of treatment seeking in infants and under five years who experience diseases starting from home treatment, then to health services and traditional medicine. This may be reversed by the general pattern of treatment seeking that starts from the traditional to the health service, but in the dole-dole tradition the last option is to carry out this ceremony for healing. This tradition is passed down through generations and is considered a way which is powerful in prevention, immunization, and healing in the Buton community especially in infants and under five years who experience health problems.

The conclusion of this study is that the pattern of treatment seeking of the Buton society is based on the belief in traditional healing performed by heredity and is considered more successful than medical treatment. It is suggested that the provision of information increase public understanding of the belief in health (medical) services without leaving a belief in local traditions.