Abstract
It is frequently stated in the scientific literature, official reports and the press that 80% of Asian and African populations use traditional medicine (TM) to meet their healthcare needs; however, this statistic was first reported in 1983. This study aimed to update knowledge of the prevalence of TM use and the characteristics of those who access it, to inform health policy-makers as countries seek to fulfil the WHO TM strategy 2014–23 and harness TM for population health. Prevalence of reported use of TM was studied in 35 334 participants of the WHO-SAGE, surveyed 2007–10. TM users were compared with users of modern healthcare in univariate and multivariate analyses. Characteristics examined included age, sex, geography (urban/rural), income quintile, education, self-reported health and presence of specific chronic conditions. This study found TM use was highest in India, 11.7% of people reported that their most frequent source of care during the previous 3 years was TM; 19.0% reported TM use in the previous 12 months. In contrast <3% reported TM as their most frequent source of care in China, Ghana, Mexico, Russia and South Africa; and <2% reported using TM in the previous year in Ghana, Mexico, Russia and South Africa. In univariate analyses, poorer, less educated and rural participants were more likely to be TM-users. In the China multivariate analysis, rurality, poor self-reported health and presence of arthritis were associated with TM use; whereas diagnosed diabetes, hypertension and cataracts were less prevalent in TM users. In Ghana and India, lower income, depression and hypertension were associated with TM use. In conclusion, TM use is less frequent than commonly reported. It may be unnecessary, and perhaps futile, to seek to employ TM for population health needs when populations are increasingly using modern medicine.
Highlights
Health Policy and Planning, 2016, Vol 0, No 0. It is frequently stated in the scientific literature (Stekelenburg et al 2005; Tilburt and Kaptchuk 2008; Birhan et al 2011; Mbatha et al 2012; Sato 2012b; Gude 2013; Merriam 2013; Ekor 2014), official fact sheets and reports (WHO 2002, 2008; Kasilo et al 2010) and the press (BBC News 2014; Modern Ghana 2014) that 80% of people in Asian and African countries use traditional medicine (TM) practitioners to meet their primary healthcare needs
Kate Wilkinson traced the use of this statistic and found that it is likely to have originated in a World Health Organisation (WHO) textbook published in 1983, with the original data on which it was based lost (Traditional Medicine and Health Care Coverage 1983; Africa Fact Check Blog 2014)
When asked where they went most frequently over the previous 3 years when they felt sick or needed to consult someone about their health,
Summary
It is frequently stated in the scientific literature (Stekelenburg et al 2005; Tilburt and Kaptchuk 2008; Birhan et al 2011; Mbatha et al 2012; Sato 2012b; Gude 2013; Merriam 2013; Ekor 2014), official fact sheets and reports (WHO 2002, 2008; Kasilo et al 2010) and the press (BBC News 2014; Modern Ghana 2014) that 80% of people in Asian and African countries (or sometimes that 80% of the world’s population) use traditional medicine (TM) practitioners to meet their primary healthcare needs This statistic has been used in policy-making and in defence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (King and Homsy 1997; UN 2009; ABC News 2014; Disabled-World 2014). The recently published WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014–23 has two key goals, one of which is to support Member States in harnessing the potential contribution of traditional and complementary medicine to health, wellness and people-centred health care (WHO 2013)
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