Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease with a world wide distribution. Use of herbal remedies has been on increase with World Health Organization estimating that 80 percent of the world’s population presently uses some form of herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care. Objectives of this study were therefore to determine the perceptions people with diabetes mellitus have towards herbal remedies, to determine the extent to which they use herbal remedies and also to establish whether there is any association between the perceptions people have on herbal remedies and use of herbal remedies. The study was carried out in Murang’a District, in Mathioya and Kangema Constituencies where five community health units were purposively selected to participate in the study based on their level of establishment in community health strategy. Data was collected using interview schedules. SPSS was used for data analysis. Significant findings from this study were: a significant number of the respondents (15%) were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus when already admitted in the wards prior to which period they had no idea that they were diabetic, over 86% of those interviewed were given information on diabetes management on diagnosis and they attend hospital clinics for follow-up regularly and therefore this means that the reason for seeking alternative modes of treatment is not due to lack of information on diabetes but due to other reasons, 12.4% of those interviewed admitted using herbal remedies as part of their management of diabetes. Recommendations made following the study were: the government of Kenya through Ministry of Health should encourage rigorous screening of clients and population in general for diabetes to ensure diabetes is diagnosed early and put under appropriate management and that the government of Kenya through Ministry of Health should put up a campaign educating diabetic patients on the potential dangers associated with combining herbal remedies with contemporary medicines due to their interactions.
Highlights
BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is worldwide in distribution and the incidence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is increasing
This section covers aspects concerning the patients such as when they were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, where the diagnosis was made, whether they have ever been admitted in hospital because of the same disease, whether they have family members with diabetes and how they have been managing their condition
A significant number of the respondents (15%) said that they were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus when already admitted in the wards prior to which period they had no idea that they were diabetic
Summary
Diabetes mellitus is worldwide in distribution and the incidence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is increasing. Diabetes incidence is increasing rapidly, and it is estimated that by 2030, the number of cases will almost double [3]. Diabetes mellitus occurs throughout the world, but is more common in developed countries. The increase in incidence of diabetes in developing countries follows the trend of urbanization and lifestyle changes, perhaps most importantly a “Western-style” diet. Diabetes mellitus prevalence has been on increase and is currently classified among the leading non-communicable diseases of public concern. Epidemiological surveys conducted by the Nairobi-based Diabetic Management and Information Center (DMI) gave the estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Kenya at 3% in 2003, and above 6% in 2007. Diabetes mellitus can be managed in several ways including use of insulin, oral hypoglycaemic agents, diet and use of herbal remedies or combination of the above [8]. Of late there has been documented evidence that many patients with chronic diseases like diabetes are opting to use alternative treatment like herbal remedies rather than using contemporary medicine [9]
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