Kihlstrom LC; Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy. Meeting.
Abstr Acad Health Serv Res Health Policy Meet. 2001; 18: 152.
University of California, Berkeley and the Institute for the Study of Healthcare Organizations & Transactions, 4143 Tolman Hall MC 5050, Berkeley, California 94804-5050, Phone: (510) 643-3957, Fax: (510) 234-6378, E-mail: lucyck@uclink4.berkeley.edu
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: It has been hypothesized that the use of herbal remedies derives, in part, from a mistrust of prescribed medications. The purpose of this study was to identify beliefs and attitudes toward medicines and herbal remedies and the extent to which they are associated with the use of herbals.STUDY DESIGN: A written survey was administered to 1326 individuals at the University of California, Berkeley in January, 2000. Items adapted from a survey conducted by the Kennedy School of Government/Kaiser Family Foundation assessed perceived risks and benefits of herbal remedies, use, and knowledge of government regulation. An additional eight items adopted from Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ; Horne & Weinman, 1995) assessed attitudes and beliefs about prescription medications.POPULATION STUDIED: The mean age of the sample studied was 20.18, (range 16-49). 62% of the respondents were female, 47% Asian, 36% Caucasian, 8% Hispanic, 5% African-American. The ethnicity distribution of the sample is representative of the student population as a whole at the University of California, Berkeley.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 39 % of the respondents were somewhat or very familiar with herbal remedies; 28% used herbals to some degree. Familiarity and use were closely associated with each other. Females reported more familiarity and use than did males. Of the two predominant ethnic groups, Caucasians reported more use and familiarity than did Asians. 28% of the respondents agreed with the statement that, in general, herbal remedies are good for the health and well-being of people. 45% of the respondents believed that using herbal remedies rarely harms individuals, however, 62% agreed with the statement that the government should strictly regulate herbal remedies that are produced for individuals under 16 years of age. The majority of respondents either did not know about government regulation of herbal remedies or held incorrect beliefs about the regulation of safety and efficacy. However, there was no relationship between knowledge about regulation and use and familiarity; individuals reported familiarity and use and little knowledge of regulation of safety and efficacy. A factor analysis of BMQ items confirmed 2 factors, harm and overuse. In general, those individuals who reported more familiarity with and greater use of herbal remedies believed that medications are overprescribed and generally harmful.CONCLUSIONS: Dissatisfaction with prescribed medications seems to be related to familiarity and the use of herbal remedies. However, knowledge about the regulation of them is either lacking or is incorrect. If individuals choose to use herbal remedies it should be with the full understanding that they are not regulated by the government for safety or efficacy.IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY, OR PRACTICE: These results suggest that additional information regarding the regulation of herbal remedies is required. While young consumers may profess familiarity with herbal remedies and, in fact, use them, most do not understand that these products are not regulated for safety and efficacy. The use of herbal remedies themselves should be explored further in future studies to determine what products are used and under what circumstances they are used.PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institute of Mental Health
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Attitude to Health
- California
- Culture
- Data Collection
- Drugs, Non-Prescription
- European Continental Ancestry Group
- Female
- Health
- Hispanic Americans
- Humans
- Male
- Materia Medica
- Medicine, Traditional
- Pharmaceutical Preparations
- Questionnaires
- Research
- utilization
- hsrmtgs
Other ID:
UI: 102273461
From Meeting Abstracts