Factors associated with herbal therapy use by adults in the United States
Gardiner, P.; Graham, R.; Legedza, A.T.R.; Ahn, A.C.; Eisenberg, D.M.; Phillips, R.S.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 13(2): 22-29
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1078-6791 PMID: 17405675 Document Number: 605904
Objective: To examine the patterns of herbal therapy use among adults in the United States and to describe factors associated with herb use. Methodology: We examined the use of natural herbs from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. We analysed factors associated with herb use and reasons for herb use with logistic regression. Results: Factors associated with herb use included the following: age (45-64 years old), being uninsured, being female, having a higher education, living in the West, using prescription medications or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and self-identified as "non-Hispanic other." Factors associated with no herb use included being non-Hispanic black and living in the South or Midwest. Seventy-two percent of those who used herbs used prescription medications, and 84% of those who used herbs also used an OTC medication in the prior 12 months. Among the adults who used herbs, the most commonly mentioned were echinacea [Echinacea sp.] (41%), ginseng [Panax sp.] (25%), gingko [Ginkgo sp.] (22%) and garlic (20%). The most frequent conditions for herb use were head or chest cold (30%), musculoskeletal conditions (16%), and stomach or intestinal illness (11%). Among those who used herbs in the prior year, factors associated with using herbs because conventional medical treatments were very expensive included being uninsured, having poor health, and being 25-44 years old. Conclusions: Nearly one in 5 people in the US population report using a herb for the treatment of health conditions and/or health promotion. More than half did not disclose this information to a conventional medical professional.