Elderly herbal supplement users less satisfied with medical care than nonusers.

The purpose of the study was to examine differences between elderly herbal supplement users and nonusers with respect to their perceptions of the safety of supplements and their satisfaction with current medical care. The researchers interviewed 69 elderly persons from congregate meal sites in four Illinois counties to assess herbal supplement use, perceptions of herbal supplement safety, medical supervision of herbal supplement use, and satisfaction with medical care. Two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests compared both perceived safety of herbal supplements and satisfaction with medical care of supplement users and nonusers. Herbal supplement users were more likely to perceive supplements as safe and to be less satisfied with conventional medical care than nonusers. Some elderly persons do not inform physicians that they are using herbal supplements, thus increasing the risk for supplement misuse, toxicity, and drug-supplement interactions. It is important that physicians, dietetics professionals, and pharmacists inquire about and discuss herbal supplement use with elderly patients.