The use of medicinal plants is integral to global healthcare systems, with Sub-Saharan Africa maintaining a robust tradition of herbal medicine alongside Western-oriented healthcare. As migrant communities tend to continue traditional herbal practices after migration, documenting this use is vital to develop culturally sensitive healthcare. This study investigates plant usage and perspectives in the context of sexual and reproductive health among the Congolese community in Belgium, particularly in the Matongé quarter of Brussels. Our research questions were: (1) What is the current knowledge of medicinal plants among the Congolese community in Belgium in the context of sexual health, and what are the applications and commonly employed administration methods of these plants? (2) What role does herbal medicine play in the context of sexual health for people of Congolese descent in Belgium and how this is influenced by perceptions of sexuality? and (3) Is there a gender bias in the use of medicinal plants, and if so, can this be related to perceived gender norms? We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with people of Congolese descent currently living in Belgium. Participants were selected using both snowball sampling and purposive sampling. Plant use in the context of sexual health was recorded through freelisting. Data on narratives, ideas, and perceptions of this plant use in the context of sexual health were collected. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. We identified 17 plant species used for sexual health. Three overarching themes emerged from our data. Plants were used with a notable gender bias favoring male sexual potency enhancement. Men used these plants for both remedying potency issues and enhancing sexual prowess. In contrast, knowledge about plants for female sexual health was limited. Gender norms reinforced the importance of male sexual potency, while stigmatizing open discussions of female sexuality. The use of medicinal plants for sexual health raises health, social, and conservation concerns, underscoring the need for further research in this area. This study contributes to understanding medicinal plant use within the Congolese community in Belgium and highlights the necessity for future research on herbal practices for female sexual health in this context.

中文翻译：

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比利时刚果裔人在性健康方面的植物使用和认知

药用植物的使用是全球医疗保健系统不可或缺的一部分，撒哈拉以南非洲地区保持着强大的草药传统以及西方导向的医疗保健。由于移民社区在移民后倾向于继续传统的草药实践，记录这种使用对于发展文化敏感的医疗保健至关重要。本研究调查了比利时刚果人社区（特别是布鲁塞尔马通热区）在性健康和生殖健康方面的植物使用情况和观点。我们的研究问题是：（1）比利时刚果社区目前对性健康方面的药用植物的了解是什么？这些植物的应用和常用的施用方法是什么？(2) 草药在比利时刚果裔人的性健康方面发挥什么作用？性观念如何影响这一作用？(3) 药用植物的使用是否存在性别偏见？如果存在，这是否与感知的性别规范有关？我们对目前居住在比利时的刚果裔人进行了 22 次半结构化访谈。参与者的选择采用滚雪球抽样和有目的抽样的方法。通过免费列表记录在性健康方面的植物使用情况。收集了有关在性健康背景下使用这种植物的叙述、想法和看法的数据。使用主题分析对访谈记录进行分析。我们确定了 17 种用于性健康的植物物种。我们的数据显示了三个首要主题。植物的使用具有明显的性别偏见，有利于增强男性性能力。男性使用这些植物来解决性能力问题和增强性能力。相比之下，有关女性性健康植物的知识却很有限。性别规范强化了男性性能力的重要性，同时羞辱了对女性性行为的公开讨论。使用药用植物促进性健康引起了健康、社会和保护方面的担忧，强调了在这一领域进行进一步研究的必要性。这项研究有助于了解比利时刚果社区内药用植物的使用，并强调了未来在这一背景下研究草药实践对女性性健康的必要性。