Abstract
BackgroundThe unprecedented global increase in the use of herbal remedies is set to continue apace well into the foreseeable future. This raises important public health concerns, especially as it relates to safety issues including adverse effects and herb-drug interactions. Most Western-trained physicians are ignorant of the risks and benefits of this healthcare modality and assessment of acceptance and knowledge would identify appropriate intervention strategies to improve physician-patient communication in this area.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was done using an interviewer-administered pilot tested de novo questionnaire at six public hospitals in Trinidad between May–July 2004. The questionnaire utilized weighed questions to quantify acceptance (maximum score = 14 points) and knowledge (maximum score = 52 points). Acceptance and knowledge scores were analyzed using the ANOVA and Tukey's tests.ResultsOf 192 physicians interviewed, most (60.4%) believed that herbal remedies were beneficial to health. Respondents had relatively high acceptance levels (mean = 5.69 ± 0.29 points or 40% of total possible score) and poor knowledge (mean = 7.77 ± 0.56 points or 15% of total possible score). Seventy-eight physicians (40.6%) admitted having used herbs in the past, and 60 of these (76.9%) were satisfied with the outcome. Although 52 physicians (27.1%) recommended the use of herbs to their patients only 29 (15.1%) were able to identify at least one known herb-drug interaction.ConclusionThe use of herbal remedies is relatively high in Trinidad, as throughout the world, and most patients self-medicate with or without the knowledge of their attending physician. Surprisingly, we demonstrated relatively high acceptance levels and use of herbs among physicians in Trinidad. This interesting scenario of high acceptance levels and poor knowledge creates a situation that demands urgent intervention. We recommend educational intervention to narrow the gap between acceptance and knowledge so that physicians would be adequately equipped to communicate with their patients on this modality. The integration of herbal medicine into the curriculum of medical schools, continuing education programs and the availability of reputable pharmacopoeias for referencing at public health institutions are useful instruments that can be used to close this gap and promote improved physician-patient communication.
Highlights
The unprecedented global increase in the use of herbal remedies is set to continue apace well into the foreseeable future
This study showed for the first time the marked disparity between acceptance and knowledge of herbal medicines by public health sector doctors in Trinidad
Our findings showed that medical practitioners in the public healthcare sector in Trinidad generally accepted herbal remedies as a viable option they lack sufficient knowledge on the uses and potential risks associated with this modality
Summary
The unprecedented global increase in the use of herbal remedies is set to continue apace well into the foreseeable future This raises important public health concerns, especially as it relates to safety issues including adverse effects and herb-drug interactions. There has been an unprecedented explosion in the popularity of herbal preparations during the last few decades, especially in developed countries [4] This phenomenon has stimulated considerable public health concern among physicians who are sometimes uncertain about the safety of herbs, especially when used concomitantly with allopathic drugs [5,6]. Despite these concerns, the global prevalence of use of medicinal herbs continues to rise as patients self-medicate with or without informing their physicians [1]. The attitudes and knowledge of physicians would impact on the doctor-patient relationship and affect the overall quality of healthcare delivery, with respect to issues such as possible adverse herb effects and herb-drug interactions [7,8,9,10,11,12]
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