Nigerian clergy and healthcare professionals’ perceptions of health-seeking behaviours among Nigerian immigrants in the UK

Healthcare underutilisation due to religio-cultural differences has been recorded among immigrant groups. The diversity in patient populations due to immigration in the UK has implications for adequate understanding of a patients’ culture by the clinician as well as patient-clinician cultural matching for enhanced service use and outcome. This qualitative study investigated how Nigerian clergy and health professionals perceived health-seeking behaviours among Nigerians in the UK; while considering the impact of their own beliefs and values as care providers. Six participants were interviewed (clergy, n = 2; health professionals, n = 4). Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results showed that the clergy and health professionals themselves use religious/cultural cure and formal healthcare methods, and believed Nigerian immigrants as predominantly using religious / cultural methods which can affect healthcare utilisation, although differences between the professionals were reported. The potentials for integrating other cure methods into the formal healthcare services was considered, while highlighting the challenges that may arise from such collaborative effort