Somali women living in Sweden are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, yet their perspectives on this condition and on pharmacy-supported self-care remain underexplored, partly due to linguistic and cultural barriers. Vitamin D deficiency is well documented in Nordic countries, particularly among individuals with darker skin pigmentation and limited ultraviolet B exposure. 

This study aims to explore how Somali women in Sweden understand health, perceive vitamin D, and seek self-care advice, particularly in relation to pharmacy counselling.

A qualitative design was used, based on semi-structured interviews with six Somali women residing in southern Sweden. Participants were purposively selected to capture variation in familiarity with vitamins and self-care practices. Interviews were conducted in Somali and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

The findings show how health is often understood in terms of everyday functioning and ability to manage daily responsibilities. Knowledge about vitamin D varies between participants: some had a partial understanding and used supplements inconsistently, while others considered vitamin D less legitimate than doctor-prescribed medicines[SV1] . Sources of health information are family members, friends, and social media, while pharmacies are less perceived as places for self-care advice. Language barriers and uncertainty about the role of pharmacists sometimes limits interaction. 

The results suggest that pharmacies may represent an underused resource for self- care advice among Somali women. These findings highlight the potential importance of accessible and culturally sensitive communication from pharmacists when providing guidance on vitamin D supplementation and other self-care products.