Table 3.

Main coding categories and illustrative quotes.

Main categories	Example of codes and illustrative quotes
Perceptions of snakes	Fear: “It makes me think of an enemy, meaning I fear it. It is terrible. I am afraid even if it is small.” Male victim, Mengang
	Understanding snake behavior: “Snakes sometimes flee from humans first. […] It is not so simple that when [the snake] sees you it jumps to bite you! […] All day long, especially during the dry season, the green mamba we see it lying on the road, in the grass, we see it everywhere. If you don't step on it …” Male victim, Akoua
Impact of snakebite	Hypervigilance: “Even if it is a rope that brushes against my foot, I think only of the snake.” Female victim, Mengang
	Use of self-protection measures: “Since I was bitten by a snake, I saved five thousand francs to buy myself a pair of boots that I wear to go to the farm.” Female victim, Zalom
Snakebite treatment strategies	Tourniquet: “I tore my dress apart and used it as a tourniquet.” Female victim, Edou Plant ingestion: “I eat [the plants] myself first. After, I give them to you. You can swallow the juice and spit out the residue, or swallow both.” Traditional healer n°2
Perceptions of treatment options	Perceptions of traditional treatment for snakebite: “I was satisfied with the way I was treated traditionally. I thought something could happen afterwards, but I have had no problem since.” Male victim, Mengang “I do not mention traditional treatments, I do not believe very much in them. Especially in these kinds of situations. I believe in traditional medicine for other things.” Male victim, Zalom “The traditional healer is for when there is really no health center near. Then, you can go a traditional healer.” Male victim, Mengang
	Perceptions of hospital treatment for snakebite: “It would be best that we bring you to the hospital because it is the doctor who knows best the degree of envenoming and the appropriate medication.” Female victim, Edou “I want to know the benefits of the hospital. […] When I have the money, I go!” Female victim, Akoua “If the government made antivenoms available in our health facilities, we would be reassured.” Female victim, Mengang
	Barriers to hospital treatment for snakebite: “It can happen that the snake bites you […] far away from the traditional healer. When [you get] there, there is already envenoming, the treatment does not work.” Female victim, Edou “My husband and I have no money and no-one who can take us to the hospital.” Female victim, Akoua “If you do not have money, once you reach the hospital the nurse will not treat you. The venom will spread in your body.” Female victim, Zalom
Attitudes about collaboration	“Why not? Can you refuse to enter in a useful collaboration? When you treat someone and he survives, is it not useful?” Traditional healer n°1