Assessment of Herbal Medicine Use and Contributing Factors among Adult out Patients at Selam Health Center in Addis Ababa

Abstract

Background: The use of herbal medications has the potential to increase both direct and indirect healthcare costs as well as adverse patient outcomes such drug-drug interactions, side effects, and toxicity. Additionally, it may make it challenging for medical facilities to deliver high-quality care.

Objective: During the period of March 5 through July 25 in 2022, how frequently did adult outpatients at Selam Health Center use herbal medicine?

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among the Selam health center's outpatients.

Results: With a response rate of 93.1%, this study included 350 adult outpatients who were being treated at Selam Health Center at the time of the study. The median age of the population was 55.68 6.70 years. 138 people (39.5%) reported regularly using herbal medicine. The primary explanations for using traditional medicine were that herbal medicines have fewer side effects, which were cited by 61 (44.2%) respondents, and that herbal medicines are less expensive, which were cited by 47 (37.1%) respondents. As compared to participants who were under 40 years old and retired, those who were 61 to 70 years old had an AOR of 6.736 (95% C.I. for AOR, 1.152 - 39.397, and those beyond 70 years old had an AOR of 5.909 (95% C.I. for AOR, 1.093 - 31.937, and p = 0.034, respectively). [AOR = 4.133 (95% C.I. for AOR, 1.992 – 17.223, p = 0.049)], and living < 5 kilometer distance from health center, [AOR = 0.395 (95% C.I. for AOR, 0.176 – 0.886, p = 0.024)] when compared to living in > 10 kilometer distance from health center were independently associated with herbal medicine use.

Conclusion: A sizable majority of patients used herbal remedies to cure common human illnesses. In order to improve the usage of herbal medicines, all relevant stakeholders should focus on these issues.