Traditional Medicine Use in the Dunedin Pacific Community in New Zealand

et al. 2020

Preprint

Objective: To explore the views, use of and access to traditional medicine (TM) among different ethnicities living in New Zealand. Methods: Qualitative study and in-depth interviews were used. An individual semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an inductive approach to identify the main themes. Results: Three main themes were extracted from interviews with 14 participants from diverse cultural backgrounds: (1) the perspectives of TM varied among different ethnic groups and included the involvement of spirituality, the environment, knowledge and usage of TM. (2) The TM that was used by different ethnic groups included plants, herbs, massage, and other forms of healing. Reasons for choosing traditional or western medicines generally included family tradition, access to TM, and finding a competent traditional healer. (3) The barriers in accessing TM included the paucity of traditional healers, difficulty accessing plants and cost, therefore most would look for a substitution or alternative treatment. Conclusion: Even though the access to these TM in New Zealand was a challenge for the majority of the participants, they are still considered the first-line treatment for the majority. This study provided dental practitioners an insight into the different sort of TM used by the population. By understanding and acknowledging the use of TM, dental practitioners could create a supportive environment for patients to disclose their use of TM and allow them to educate patients on the use of TM.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Interplay Of Tm With Western Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Use of traditional medicine for dental care by different ethnic groups in New Zealand

et al. 2020

Preprint

“…Coconut oil [15] Ocimum sanctum 6% w/w [16] Aloe vera mouthwash [17] Nasal decongestion Chinese herbal spray Lemon leaves Uci plants…”

Section: Use Of Tm In Different Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of traditional medicine for dental care by different ethnic groups in New Zealand

et al. 2020

BMC Oral Health

Background There is an increasing public interest in the use of TM internationally, yet there is a paucity of research on the use of TM by the public in the dental setting. This study aimed to explore the views, use of and access to TM in dentistry among different ethnic groups residing in New Zealand. Methods Qualitative study and in-depth interviews were used. An individual semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an inductive approach to identify the main themes. Results Three main themes were extracted from interviews with 14 participants from diverse cultural backgrounds: [1] the perspectives of TM varied among different ethnic groups and included the involvement of spirituality, the environment, knowledge and usage of TM. [2] The TM that was used by different ethnic groups included plants, herbs, massage, and other forms of healing. Reasons for choosing traditional or western medicines generally included family tradition, access to TM, and finding a competent traditional healer. [3] The barriers in accessing TM included the paucity of traditional healers, difficulty accessing plants and cost, therefore most would look for a substitution or alternative treatment. Conclusion Even though the access to these TM in New Zealand was a challenge for the majority of the participants, they are still considered the first-line treatment for the majority. This study provided dental practitioners an insight into the different sort of TM used by the population. By understanding and acknowledging the use of TM, dental practitioners could create a supportive environment for patients to disclose their use of TM and allow them to educate patients on the use of TM.

“…These included using TM as an alternative to western medicines, using TM with western medicine at the same time, and using TM prior or after western medicine. The pattern of use depended on the con dence, the availability of healers and the accessibility to traditional plants (14). In instances where TM was not available, then the participants would choose western medicines.…”

Section: Interplay Of Tm With Western Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Use of traditional medicine for dental care by different ethnic groups in New Zealand

et al. 2020

Preprint

Objective: To explore the views, use of and access to traditional medicine (TM) among different ethnicities living in New Zealand. Methods: Qualitative study and in depth interviews were used. An individual semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an inductive approach to identify the main themes. Results: Three main themes were extracted from interviews with 14 participants from diverse cultural backgrounds: (1) the perspectives of TM varied among different ethnic groups, and included the involvement of spirituality, the environment, knowledge and usage of TM. (2) The TM that was used by different ethnic groups included plants, herbs, massage, and other forms of healing. Reasons for choosing traditional or western medicines generally included family tradition, access to TM, and finding a competent traditional healer. (3) The barriers in accessing TM included the paucity of traditional healers, difficulty accessing plants and cost, therefore most would look for substitution or alternative treatment. Conclusion: Even though the access to these TM in New Zealand was a challenge for the majority of the participants, they are still considered the first-line treatment for the majority. This study provided dental practitioners an insight into the different sort of TM used by the population. By understanding and acknowledging the use of TM, dental practitioners could create a supportive environment for patients to disclose their use of TM and allow them to educate patients on the use of TM.