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ZENODO
Article . 2000
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Article . 2000
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2000
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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Innovative Medical Practices in Algeria: A Qualitative Exploration of Sub-Saharan Influences and Local Adaptations

Authors: Amrouche, Karim; Benali, Nadia; Bensaid, Samir; Ould-Ahmed, Yasmina;

Innovative Medical Practices in Algeria: A Qualitative Exploration of Sub-Saharan Influences and Local Adaptations

Abstract

Medical practice in Algeria is influenced by diverse knowledge systems, including those from Sub-Saharan Africa. The integration and adaptation of these influences within Algerian healthcare, particularly in obstetrics and gynaecology, are not well understood. This study aimed to explore the nature of medical innovation in Algeria, focusing specifically on identifying Sub-Saharan African influences and examining how healthcare practitioners locally adapt them. A qualitative, exploratory design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of obstetricians, gynaecologists, and midwives across multiple Algerian regions. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. Analysis identified three primary themes: pathways of knowledge transmission, processes of syncretic adaptation, and practitioners' perceptions of efficacy. A notable proportion of participants reported incorporating at least one diagnostic or therapeutic practice perceived to be of Sub-Saharan origin, most commonly in postnatal care and the management of some gynaecological conditions. These practices were often modified to align with local cultural expectations and available biomedical resources. Medical innovation in Algeria involves a dynamic, syncretic process where Sub-Saharan influences are actively integrated and adapted. This challenges a purely Eurocentric view of medical knowledge transfer and underscores a more complex, bidirectional flow of practices within Africa. Medical curricula and continuous professional development programmes should acknowledge and critically engage with these syncretic practices. Further research should quantitatively assess the associated clinical outcomes to inform evidence-based practice. Medical innovation, qualitative research, Algeria, Sub-Saharan Africa, obstetrics, gynaecology, knowledge adaptation, syncretism. This study contributes a nuanced understanding of how Sub-Saharan African medical knowledge is transmitted and adapted within Algerian clinical practice, highlighting a under-recognised dimension of intra-African medical exchange.

Related Organizations
Keywords

Medical anthropology, Sub-Saharan Africa, Post-colonial medicine, Qualitative research, Algeria, Healthcare integration, Traditional medicine

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average