Herbal Medicine Use Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Kashan, Iran, 2015 Publisher



Azizifini I¹ ; Adibhajbaghery M² ; Gharehboghlou Z² Show Affiliations
Source: European Journal of Integrative Medicine Published:2016

Abstract

Introduction Despite the increased use of complementary medicine by diabetic patients, there is no clear estimation of complementary and herbal medicine use by these patients in Iran. This study was conducted to investigate the uses of herbal medicine among patients with type II diabetes in Kashan, Iran, in 2015. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 500 patients with type II diabetes referred to two diabetes clinics in Kashan city from June to September 2015. A questionnaire developed and validated by the researcher was used for data collection. In addition to demographics and disease-related information, the instrument included questions about using herbal medicine and patients’ satisfaction of the herbs used. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyze the data. Results Of the 500 patients, 54% used at least one herb. The most common herb used was cinnamon (24%). The majority of patients used herbs on a daily basis (56.9%). Relatives or friends (65.9%) were the main information sources that guided patients toward using herbs. Using herbal medicine was significantly associated with education level (P = 0.01) and the place of residence (0.009). Conclusions Herbal medicines are commonly used by patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is crucial for physicians and nurses to communicate with their patients with diabetes regarding their use of herbs. © 2016 Elsevier GmbH