Prevalence and factors associated with traditional herbal medicine use among patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy in Uganda
Open Access
- 10 November 2011
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in BMC Public Health
- Vol. 11 (1), 855
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-855
Abstract
In Africa, herbal medicines are often used as primary treatment for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) related problems. Concurrent use of traditional herbal medicines (THM) with antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) is widespread among HIV infected patients. However, the extent of THM use is not known in most settings in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and factors associated with THM use among HIV infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) attending The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) in Uganda. TASO is a non-governmental organization devoted to offering HIV/AIDS care and treatment services in the population. This was a cross-sectional study carried out in two TASO treatment centres in Uganda among 401 randomly selected eligible participants. We included participants who were 18 years and above, were enrolled on HAART, and consented to participate in the study. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. THM use referred to someone who had ever used or was currently using herbal medicine while on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) by the time of the study. Data was captured in Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to STATA version 9.0 for analysis. The prevalence of THM use was 33.7%. Patients on HAART for < 4 years were more likely to use THM (OR = 5.98, 95% CI 1.13 - 31.73) as well as those who experienced HAART side effects (OR = 3.66, 95% CI: 1.15 - 11.68). Older patients (≥39 years) were less likely to use THM (OR = 0.26 95% CI: 0.08 - 0.83). Participants with HAART adherence levels > 95% were less likely to use THM (OR = 0.09, 95% CI 0.01 - 0.65). The prevalence of THM use among participants on HAART was high. This raises clinical and pharmacological concerns that need attention by the health care service providers.Keywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- Traditional complementary and alternative medicine and antiretroviral treatment adherence among HIV patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaAfrican Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 2010
- HIV/AIDS: Interactions between Natural Health Products and Antiretroviral Drugs: Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic EffectsClinical Infectious Diseases, 2006
- Use of complementary and alternative medicine in HIV-infected subjectsComplementary Therapies in Medicine, 2006
- Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among HIV Patients for Perceived LipodystrophyThe Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2006
- African herbal medicines in the treatment of HIV: Hypoxis and Sutherlandia. An overview of evidence and pharmacologyNutrition Journal, 2005
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Substitution for Conventional Therapy by HIV-Infected PatientsJAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 2003
- Alternative Therapies: A Common Practice among Men and Women Living with HIVJournal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 2003
- Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by HIV-Infected Outpatients in Ontario, CanadaAIDS Patient Care and STDs, 2003
- South Africa tests traditional medicines.The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2002
- Harmless Herbs? A Review of the Recent LiteratureAmerican Journal Of Medicine, 1998