The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, N-9037, Norway.
VID Specialized University, Postboks 184, Oslo, 0319, Norway.
BMC Complement Med Ther. 2024 Sep 7;24(1):331. doi: 10.1186/s12906-024-04620-0.
Pakistani immigrants are the largest non-Western ethnic minority group in Norway. Traditional medicines (TM) are extensively used in Pakistan, and studies show that ethnic minorities also use them to recover from illness after migration to the Western world. This study aims to explore Pakistani immigrants' experiences and perceptions of risk regarding the use of TM to treat illnesses.
A qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews (n = 24) with Pakistani immigrants in Norway from February to March 2023. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling methods. The data was analyzed using Braun & Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) using Nvivo.
RTA revealed three main themes and six sub-themes. The main themes were: (a) House of knowledge, (b) Choosing the best possible approach for health restoration, and (c) Adverse effects of TM used. A total of 96 different TM were identified, including herbs, food items, animal products, minerals, herbal products, and ritual remedies. All participants used TM to restore health in acute and chronic diseases, and many used TM along with conventional medicines. The participants' mothers were the primary source of knowledge about TM, and they passed it on to the next generation. They also frequently used religious knowledge to recover from illness. Although TM is considered safe because of its natural origin, some participants experienced adverse effects of TM, but none of them reported it to the health authorities.
The study helps to understand the experiences and perceptions of risk of Pakistani immigrants in Norway regarding traditional practices for treating health complaints. Public health policies to improve the health of these immigrants should consider the importance of TM in their lives. Further research is necessary to explore the safety and toxicity of those TM that are common in Pakistani households in Norway.
巴基斯坦移民是挪威最大的非西方少数民族群体。传统医学（TM）在巴基斯坦广泛使用，研究表明，少数民族在移民到西方世界后也会使用 TM 来治疗疾病。本研究旨在探讨巴基斯坦移民在使用 TM 治疗疾病时的经验和风险认知。
本研究于 2023 年 2 月至 3 月期间通过深入访谈（n=24）对挪威的巴基斯坦移民进行了一项定性研究。参与者通过目的性和滚雪球抽样方法招募。使用 Nvivo 对数据进行 Braun & Clarke 的反思性主题分析（RTA）分析。
RTA 揭示了三个主要主题和六个子主题。主要主题包括：（a）知识之屋，（b）选择恢复健康的最佳方法，（c）TM 使用的不良影响。共确定了 96 种不同的 TM，包括草药、食品、动物产品、矿物质、草药产品和仪式疗法。所有参与者都使用 TM 来治疗急性和慢性疾病，许多人还将 TM 与传统药物一起使用。参与者的母亲是他们了解 TM 的主要来源，并将其传授给下一代。他们还经常利用宗教知识来恢复健康。尽管 TM 因其天然来源而被认为是安全的，但一些参与者还是经历了 TM 的不良反应，但他们都没有向卫生当局报告。
本研究有助于了解挪威巴基斯坦移民对治疗健康投诉的传统做法的经验和风险认知。改善这些移民健康的公共卫生政策应考虑 TM 在他们生活中的重要性。有必要进一步研究在挪威的巴基斯坦家庭中常见的 TM 的安全性和毒性。
