1. Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Its Associated Factors among Iranian Diabetic Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.
- Author
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Ghorat, Fereshteh, Mosavat, Seyed Hamdollah, Hadigheh, Samaneh, Kouhpayeh, Seyed Amin, Naghizadeh, Mohammad Mehdi, Rashidi, Ali Akbar, and Hashempur, Mohammad Hashem
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CROSS-sectional method , *INTEGRATIVE medicine , *PEOPLE with diabetes , *ACADEMIC medical centers , *DISEASE duration , *GLYCOSYLATED hemoglobin , *MENTAL health , *THERAPEUTICS , *PATIENT safety , *LOGISTIC regression analysis , *HERBAL medicine , *DISEASE management , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *HYPOGLYCEMIC agents , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *ALTERNATIVE medicine , *METROPOLITAN areas , *QUALITY of life , *IRANIANS , *PSYCHOSOCIAL factors , *DRUG synergism , *DIABETES - Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and its associated factors among diabetic patients in Fasa, a city in southern Iran. Data were collected from diabetic patients who visited the endocrinology clinics at Fasa University of Medical Sciences. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather information on CAM use, including the types of CAM modalities used, and reasons for use. The patient's demographic and clinical characteristics, such as age, gender, duration of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and quality of life (QoL) were also recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of CAM use, while logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with CAM use. A total of 376 diabetic patients participated in the study, with more than 89% reporting CAM use within the past year. Herbal preparations were the most commonly used type of CAM, with a prevalence rate of 99.4%. Factors associated with CAM use included patients' psychological health, attitude towards the safety of CAM, belief in the synergistic effects of combining routine medications with CAM, and previous positive experiences with CAM. The high prevalence of CAM use highlights the importance of considering it in diabetes management and the need for healthcare professionals' engagement in open discussions with patients about their CAM practices. Understanding the factors influencing CAM use can inform healthcare providers and policymakers in developing appropriate strategies for integrating CAM approaches into conventional diabetes care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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