How often do patients in primary care use the methods of traditional medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional medicine is a comprehensive system of theory and practice, implemented in the prevention, diagnostics and treatment of diseases, which utilizes preparations of vegetable, animal and mineral origin, as well as methods of spiritual therapy Objective: 1. To estimate how many patients in primary care use traditional medicine for diagnostics, treatment and prevention of diseases, and to establish possible differences regarding gender, age and urban or rural location. 2. What methods of traditional medicine are the most often used, and for which diseases and conditions? 3. Why did the subjects opted for this type of treatment, and what was the effect of the therapy? Method: Multicentric research based on interviewing patients in five outpatient health centers in Serbia. As a survey instrument was used a questionnaire with 10 questions. Results: The study included 1157 subjects, 683 women and 474 men, mean age 60.22±14.54, The traditional medicine was used by 83.66% (79.96% males and 86.245% females). Information about the methods of traditional medicine subjects usually received from their friends and acquaintances (54.9%) and the media (39.3%). There is no significant difference in the way of obtaining information in relation to gender. Information on the internet was obtained more often in subjects younger than 65 (p=0.000) and in urban population (p=0.000). The same is true for information obtained from doctor or pharmacist (p=0.003). They opted for this method because in their opinion it is less harmful and have less adverse effects (72.8%). This type of treatment patients used for treatment of muscles, bone and joint diseases - 28.5%, diseases of the heart and blood vessels -21,1 %, and for the treatment of pain 19.7%. Patients from rural areas more often used traditional medicine for treatment of cardiovascular diseases (p=0.000). Outcome of treatment was good or satisfactory in 45.3%, moderate in 32%, and in 15.8% effect was unsatisfactory or absent. In the choice of mode of treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in relation to gender, but acupuncture (p=0,006), Chinese medicine (p=0.001) and macrobiotics (p=0.000) were used more often by persons under the age of 65, and traditional native medicine by those older than 65 years. Phytotherapy was more frequently used by subjects in cities (p=0.000), a traditional native medicine (p=0.000) by those who live in rural areas. Conclusion: High percentage of patients in general practice use methods of traditional medicine. There were no differences between the patients, regarding gender and age. Acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and macrobiotics were more frequently used in urban population, and traditional folk medicine by rural population. Treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels using this method is more often used by rural population. The main reason for the application of this method of treatment is the belief that it is less harmful and has less adverse effects. Information about these methods of treatment subjects usually receive from friends and acquaintances and through the media. Almost half of respondents were satisfied with the effects of the therapy.