BACKGROUND: Family physician advice and follow-up may be important to reduce the negative aspects of locally marketed herbal remedies and improve the patient outcome. There is a lack of studies assessing the preference of Saudi patients for the integration of herbal medicine into primary care services. OBJECTIVES: To examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of Saudi patients toward herbal medicine and its integration into primary care services. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2013 among adult patients attending the family medicine clinics at a primary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire (27 items) was developed and administered to all patients. RESULTS: A total of 240 patients were included in the current analysis. The average age was 33.5 ± 9.9 years, and 61% of the patients were women. Approximately 60% of the patients were aware of herbal medicine use and its possible side effects. More than 85% of the patients believed that herbal containers should be labeled with safety information. Approximately 71% of the patients had a favorable attitude toward integrated services. Approximately 65% of the patients used herbal remedies for themselves, and 42% used them for their children. Preference for integrated services was significantly associated with female sex, better knowledge, positive attitudes toward safety and regulations, and higher level of practice. CONCLUSIONS: A good knowledge and a very favorable attitude toward integrating herbal medicine into primary care services were found among a group of patients attending a primary care center in Saudi Arabia.
BACKGROUND: Family physician advice and follow-up may be important to reduce the negative aspects of locally marketed herbal remedies and improve the patient outcome. There is a lack of studies assessing the preference of Saudi patients for the integration of herbal medicine into primary care services. OBJECTIVES: To examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of Saudi patients toward herbal medicine and its integration into primary care services. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2013 among adult patients attending the family medicine clinics at a primary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire (27 items) was developed and administered to all patients. RESULTS: A total of 240 patients were included in the current analysis. The average age was 33.5 ± 9.9 years, and 61% of the patients were women. Approximately 60% of the patients were aware of herbal medicine use and its possible side effects. More than 85% of the patients believed that herbal containers should be labeled with safety information. Approximately 71% of the patients had a favorable attitude toward integrated services. Approximately 65% of the patients used herbal remedies for themselves, and 42% used them for their children. Preference for integrated services was significantly associated with female sex, better knowledge, positive attitudes toward safety and regulations, and higher level of practice. CONCLUSIONS: A good knowledge and a very favorable attitude toward integrating herbal medicine into primary care services were found among a group of patients attending a primary care center in Saudi Arabia.
Entities:
Keywords:
Saudi Arabia; complementary medicine; herbal; integrative medicine; primary care
Authors: Mohammed Abdullah Al Mansour; Abdullah Mn Al-Bedah; Mohammed Othman AlRukban; Ibrahim S Elsubai; Elsadiq Yousif Mohamed; Ahmed Tawfik El Olemy; Asim Ah Khalil; Mohamed Km Khalil; Meshari Saleh Alqaed; Abdullah Almudaiheem; Waqas Sami Mahmoud; Khalid Altohami Medani; Naseem Akhtar Qureshi Journal: Adv Med Educ Pract Date: 2015-06-03
Authors: Irene G Ampomah; Bunmi S Malau-Aduli; Abdul-Aziz Seidu; Aduli E O Malau-Aduli; Theophilus I Emeto Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-01-05 Impact factor: 2.655