Prevalence and determinants of using complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of chronic illnesses: A multicenter study in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background While conventional medicine (CM) is commonly used to treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs), complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gaining popularity as a healthcare option in Bangladesh. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with using CAM solely and using CAM in conjunction with CM for chronic illness treatment among NCD patients in Bangladesh. Methods A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted, including 549 adults with a confirmed chronic illness diagnosis from three tertiary care hospitals in Dhaka city. Interviews were used to gather socio-demographic data, while medical records were used to get information on chronic illnesses. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to determine the associated factors of utilizing CAM primarily and CAM use in conjunction with CM to manage the chronic disease. Results Out of 549 NCD patients (282 women [51.4%], mean [standard deviation] age 45.4 [12.8] years), 180 (32.8%) ever used CAM for the treatment of chronic illness. Also, 15.3% of patients exclusively used CAM among the NCD patients, while 17.5% used CAM in conjunction with CM. Homeopathy medicine was the most prevalent type of treatment among CAM users (52.2%). Furthermore, 55.5% of CAM users said they used it due to its less adverse effects, and 41.6% trusted its effectiveness for chronic illness. Elderly patients (≥60 years) preferred CAM in complementary with CM, but they did not rely only on CAM. According to the multinomial regression analysis, unmarried patients, predominantly in the younger age group, adopted CAM significantly for chronic illness treatment (Relative risk ratio, RRR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.12–0.71, reference = Unmarried). Patients in the high-income group used CAM in conjunction with CM (RRR = 6.26, 95% CI = 1.35–18.90, reference: low-income), whereas patients in the high-income group did not rely on CAM alone (RRR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.34–2.85). Conclusion Although CM remains the mainstream of health care in Bangladesh, CAM services play an essential role in people’s health care, particularly in treating chronic illnesses. Physicians of Bangladesh should be aware that their patients may be using other services and be prepared to ask and answer questions regarding the risks and benefits of using CAM in addition to regular medical care. Thus, clinicians required to follow best-practice guidelines, which are currently not practiced in Bangladesh, when disseminating information regarding integrative techniques that combine CM and CAM approaches.

A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use among Patients with Chronic Diseases (CDs) in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

“…In Saudi Arabia, it is still too early to assess how open doctors are to discussing CAM and how ready they are to answer patients’ questions about it. The CAM disclosure rate in this study is relatively better than what has been reported previously [ 11 ]. Many of the participants believe that it is not important for doctors to know about their CAM use and they have little knowledge about CAM.…”

“…As reported previously, the study participants frequently received suggestions and advice concerning CAM from their friends and relatives [ 11 , 13 ]. Despite the fact that medical professionals should be the best source of information on CAM, only a few reported consulting them for advice or conducting their own search [ 38 ].…”

“…In Canada, the prevalence of CAM services use was estimated to be high in patients with diabetes, asthma and epilepsy [ 10 ]. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, CAM was an important part of the health care management plan for many patients [ 11 ]. Furthermore, CAM was used frequently to treat cancer patients in Malaysia which triggers the need for educational programs to avoid interactions with the conventional medicine (CM) for this critical disease [ 12 ].…”

Profiling the Use of Complementary Alternative Medicines among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Results from a Single Center Survey

“…According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health affiliated to the National Institute of Health (NIH), CAMs fall into the practice of "integrative health" which brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. The use of CAMs has increased in recent times to manage and treat various chronic disorders, such as diabetes and cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Recently, 170 of the 194 member states of the World Health Organization recognized and acknowledged the use of complementary medicines.…”

Proportion and associated factors of the utilisation of complementary and alternative medicine exclusively in a hospital in Bangladesh

“…While conventional medicine has made significant progress in Bangladesh, a considerable number of people uses various forms of CAM treatment for their primary health care [12][13][14]. According to a recent survey, 32.8% of patients with chronic disease used some form of CAM for their chronic disease management in Bangladesh [15]. Another recent study from Bangladesh reported that 33% of diabetic patients in the northern part of the country used some different types of CAM to manage or treat their condition [16].…”