Mann Noor A, Khan Zain A, Asghar Saima, Rani Afshan, Hussain Nadia, Akhtar Sumera S, Heydon Susan, Anwar Mudassir
School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
Department of Pharmacy Practice, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
Health Expect. 2025 Feb;28(1):e70169. doi: 10.1111/hex.70169.
The health-seeking patterns of the increasing Pakistani migrant population in New Zealand (NZ) is a subject of limited research in current literature. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate and understand the patterns of health services utilisation and medicine usage among first-generation Pakistani immigrants in NZ.
Convenience and snowball sampling using social media platforms were used to conduct eleven semi-structured interviews consisting of two participants per interview. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed iteratively using an inductive thematic approach.
Self-medication emerged as a common practice by the majority of the participants and this practice stemmed from personal experiences, existing knowledge, and personal and cultural beliefs. However, participants had limited knowledge of the NZ health system and community pharmacy services and this led to conflicting expectations and outcomes. These factors serve as barriers to healthcare access for Pakistani immigrants and can result in adverse health outcomes and higher rates of dissatisfaction.
This study highlights the healthcare challenges and behaviours of Pakistani immigrants in NZ, emphasising their reliance on traditional remedies and self-medication. While appreciating the quality of NZ's healthcare, participants faced barriers like cost and lack of awareness of pharmacy services. The findings call for culturally tailored strategies to improve accessibility and healthcare experiences for immigrants.
Two individuals from the Pakistani community, not part of the study, contributed to the design by offering feedback and pilot testing the interview guide. Based on their input, adjustments were made to enhance the clarity of the questions from a patient's or public viewpoint. No new questions were proposed as a result of this feedback.
新西兰（NZ）日益增多的巴基斯坦移民群体的就医模式在当前文献中的研究有限。因此，本研究旨在调查和了解新西兰第一代巴基斯坦移民的医疗服务利用模式和用药情况。
利用社交媒体平台采用便利抽样和滚雪球抽样的方法，进行了11次半结构式访谈，每次访谈有两名参与者。访谈进行了录音并逐字转录。采用归纳主题法对数据进行迭代分析。
自我药疗成为大多数参与者的常见做法，这种做法源于个人经历、现有知识以及个人和文化信仰。然而，参与者对新西兰医疗系统和社区药房服务的了解有限，这导致了相互矛盾的期望和结果。这些因素成为巴基斯坦移民获得医疗服务的障碍，可能导致不良健康后果和更高的不满率。
本研究突出了新西兰巴基斯坦移民的医疗挑战和行为，强调了他们对传统疗法和自我药疗的依赖。尽管认可新西兰医疗服务的质量，但参与者面临着成本和对药房服务缺乏了解等障碍。研究结果呼吁制定符合文化特点的策略，以改善移民获得医疗服务的机会和就医体验。
两名来自巴基斯坦社区但并非本研究一部分的个人通过提供反馈和对访谈指南进行预测试，为研究设计做出了贡献。根据他们的意见进行了调整，以从患者或公众的角度提高问题的清晰度。此次反馈未提出新问题。
