Barriers and facilitators to integrating Persian medicine into primary health care in Iran: a qualitative study from the perspective of community health workers and community health supervisors.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Primary health care (PHC) systems are increasingly challenged by the rising burden of chronic diseases and the growing demand for personalized care. Persian Medicine (PM), with its constitution-based approach and rich historical foundation, holds significant potential as a complementary strategy in population health management within the PHC framework. This study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to integrating PM into the PHC system from the perspectives of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Community Health Supervisors (CHSs). METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design with thematic analysis was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 CHWs and CHSs in Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in Tabriz, Iran. Purposive sampling with maximum variation was used to ensure diversity of perspectives. Data were analyzed using the Braun and Clarke framework with MAXQDA version 24. To ensure trustworthiness, member checking and peer debriefing were conducted by independent researchers. RESULTS: Five main themes emerged: (1) challenges in designing and integrating PM assessment tools into PHC; (2) structural and policy-level barriers; (3) challenges in health education and information acceptance; (4) human resource constraints and motivation; and (5) facilitating factors and participant-driven strategies. The first four themes represent barriers, while the fifth highlights strategies for successful PM integration into PHC. CONCLUSION: The successful integration of PM into PHC requires a comprehensive strategy Empowering healthcare personnel, developing evidence-based protocols, improving health literacy, and fostering collaboration between PM and conventional medicine are essential steps toward achieving this goal.