A new study by US researchers shows high use of herbal remedies across all ethnic and economic groups.
The study, comparing use of herbal remedies among Hispanic women and non-Hispanic white women, showed higher than expected use of herbal treatments by both groups, 89% and 81%, respectively.
In Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Herbal Remedy Use in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Women (published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine), authors Robin Green, PsyD, et al., from Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Bronx, NY), University of Colorado School of Medicine and School of Public Health (Aurora), and University of Washington (Seattle), examined the use of integrative medicine approaches such as botanical and herbal remedies among a group of multiethnic midlife women in New Jersey.
“The survey is yet another sign of how deeply once ‘alternative’ choices are permeating daily behaviour,” says JACM editor-in-chief John Weeks, “and especially in a Hispanic population after early use data led many to portray complementary and alternative medical use as predominantly a phenomenon among a white and privileged class.”
“The survey is yet another sign of how deeply once ‘alternative’ choices are permeating daily behaviour, especially in a Hispanic population after early use data led many to portray complementary and alternative medical use as predominantly a phenomenon among a white and privileged class”
The researchers speculate that the high prevalence of overall CAM use participants at the New Jersey study “may be the result of aggressive marketing of herbals and botanicals as all-natural products and the ease of purchase without a prescription”. Alternatively, they suggest, the “expense of prescription medications may be prohibitive for individuals with limited or no health insurance and thereby drives the use of botanicals and herbal remedies as an affordable alternative.”
Interestingly, the number of remedies is significantly greater among women who indicated financial strain and among those without health insurance. Meanwhile, the mean number of remedies used was similar regardless of the number of prescription medications used.
The researchers emphasized the need for physicians to ask patients about herbal treatments to identify potential interactions with or patient use as replacements for conventional medications.