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Albassam AA, Alenzi AN, Alhaqbani NK, Alhouty FK, Almalki ZS, Alshehri AM, Aldossari H, Iqbal MS. Beliefs, awareness, use, and factors associated with herbal supplements usage among patients with chronic diseases-A cross-sectional insight from Alkharj, Saudi Arabia. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295116. [PMID: 38232068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Herbal supplements (HSs) are used to treat a variety of diseases and ailments. Individuals with chronic diseases are at a higher risk of having adverse events and drug interactions from the use of HSs. AIM This study determined the beliefs, awareness, use, and factors associated with HSs usage among patients with chronic diseases in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia. METHOD A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with chronic diseases between February and June 2019. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at various out-patient clinics in different hospitals. Patients diagnosed with chronic diseases were included in the study. Data were analyzed by descriptive, comparative, and inferential statistics using SAS ver. 9.4. RESULTS The study participants were consisted of 533 patients, with mean age 53.6 ±12.9 years. The most prevalent chronic diseases were diabetes mellitus (67.7%), followed by hypertension (54.8%), and hyperlipidemia (53.8%). Among the studied participants, 336 (63%) had used at least one HS, whereby the most commonly used HSs were ginger (74.7%), mint (72%), and cumin (66.7%). Almost 78% of HSs users did not consult any healthcare provider about their use. HSs use varied significantly between female and male participants (p<0.05), whereby 61.5% of female participants used HSs in comparison to the male participants (38.5%). Gender (AOR 0.328; 95% CI 0.139-0.772; p = 0.0107), number of chronic diseases (AOR 1.585; 95% CI 1.084-2.318; p = 0.0312), and hyperlipidemia (AOR 2.818; 95% CI 1.507-5.269; p = 0.0.0012) were the pure factors of HSs use among the studied patients. CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that HSs usage was high among patients with chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia. Concurrent usage of HSs with drugs should be well-discussed with healthcare providers to avoid potential adverse events or drug interactions especially among patients with chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A Albassam
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arwa N Alenzi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmaceutical Care Services, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah K Alhaqbani
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmacy Department, General Directorate of Medical Services, Ministry of Interior, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatimah K Alhouty
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
- Pharmacy Department, Al-Kharj Military Industries Corporation Hospital, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ziyad S Almalki
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussain Aldossari
- Department of Ophthalmology, Al-Kharj Military Industries Corporation Hospital, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Shahid Iqbal
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
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Schils A, Lechon AS, Rondeaux S, Souard F, Van Laethem JL, Pochet S, Mathieu V, De Vriese C. Cancer patients' behaviors and attitudes toward natural health products. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:442. [PMID: 38057795 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04278-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural health products (NHPs), including vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements, are the most common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer patients. Our survey determined the attitudes and behaviors of cancer patients toward natural complementary therapies that should be considered to implement an integrative approach in the future. METHODS Our survey was conducted in four hospitals in Belgium. Questionnaires were posted online from October 2020 to October 2021 for cancer patients. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. A [Formula: see text] test was applied to study the type of NHP consumed according to diagnosis time. Fischer's exact test compared patients who had changed their consumption since diagnosis and those who had not. RESULTS Out of 349 questionnaires collected, only 59 met all inclusion criteria. 83.1 % of the patients agreed that conventional medicine (CM) could benefit from complementary therapies, but they did not estimate (72.3 % of the patients) that those latter are more effective than conventional medicine. More than half of the patients used five or more NHPs. The most frequent NHPs consumed daily were vitamins (64.4 %), followed by other products (i.e., probiotics, gemmotherapy, birch sap and omega 3/6) (42.4 %) and herbs (40.7 %). Almost all patients started taking NHPs before their cancer diagnosis, but 72.7 % have changed their consumption significantly (p = 0.009) since their diagnosis. Boosting the immune system (79.7 %) and limiting conventional treatment side effects (76.9 %) were the most common reasons for NHPs' use. 74.4 % of the patients did not take complementary therapies to delay or avoid conventional treatment. CONCLUSIONS The combination and high diversity of NHPs consumption highlight the importance of educating patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) about the risk of drug interactions associated with these natural products. Most cancer patients are more interested in using this non-mainstream medicine to complement their conventional treatment than as an alternative. Knowing the patients' reasons and understanding patients' attitudes toward NHPs will be essential for HCPs to address NHPs' use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Schils
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anne-Sophie Lechon
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah Rondeaux
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Florence Souard
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Luc Van Laethem
- Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Oncology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Route de Lennik 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Pochet
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Veronique Mathieu
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carine De Vriese
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe 9040, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
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Ng JY, Popal S, Selvanayagam S. Dietary and herbal supplement consumer health information for pain: A cross-sectional survey and quality assessment of online content. Integr Med Res 2023; 12:100996. [PMID: 37927332 PMCID: PMC10623267 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2023.100996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients are increasingly utilizing the internet to learn about dietary and herbal supplements (DHSs) for various diseases/conditions, including pain management. Online health information has been found to be inconsistent and of poor quality in prior studies, which may have detrimental effects on patient health. This study assessed the quality of online DHSs consumer health information for pain. Methods Six search items related to DHSs and pain were used to generate the first 20 websites on Google across four English-speaking countries. The identified 480 webpages produced 68 eligible websites, which were then evaluated using the DISCERN tool. The mean scores and standard deviations (SD) of the reviewers' ratings on each of the 15 DISCERN instrument items as well as the overall total score were calculated. Results The mean summed score for the 68 eligible websites was 46.6 (SD = 10.1), and the mean overall rating was 3.3 (SD = 0.8). Websites lacked information regarding areas of uncertainty, the effects of no treatment being used, and how treatments affect the overall quality of life. These shortcomings were especially apparent across commercial websites, which frequently displayed bias, failed to report the risks of DHS products, and lacked support for shared decision-making regarding the use of DHSs. Conclusion Variability exists in the quality of online consumer health information regarding DHS use for pain. Healthcare providers should be aware of and provide guidance to patients regarding the identification of reliable online resources so that they can make informed decisions about DHS use for pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Y Ng
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sahar Popal
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sathurthika Selvanayagam
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Dores AR, Peixoto M, Castro M, Sá C, Carvalho IP, Martins A, Maia E, Praça I, Marques A. Knowledge and Beliefs about Herb/Supplement Consumption and Herb/Supplement-Drug Interactions among the General Population, including Healthcare Professionals and Pharmacists: A Systematic Review and Guidelines for a Smart Decision System. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15102298. [PMID: 37242184 DOI: 10.3390/nu15102298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased consumption of a variety of herbs/supplements has been raising serious health concerns. Owing to an inadequate understanding of herb/supplement-drug interactions, the simultaneous consumption of these products may result in deleterious effects and, in extreme cases, even fatal outcomes. This systematic review is aimed at understanding the knowledge and beliefs about the consumption of herbs/supplements and herb/drug-supplement interactions (HDIs). The study follows the PRISMA guidelines. Four online databases (Web of Science; PubMed; Cochrane; and EBSCOhost) were searched, and a total of 44 studies were included, encompassing 16,929 participants. Herb and supplement consumption is explained mostly by the reported benefits across multiple conditions and ease of use. Regarding HDIs, most people take both herbs/supplements and prescription drugs simultaneously. Only a small percentage of participants have knowledge about their interaction effects, and many reported adverse interactions or side effects. Nevertheless, the main reason for stopping the prescribed drug intake is the perceived lack of its effect, and not due to interactions. Therefore, it is important to increase the knowledge about supplement use so that further strategies can be elaborated to better detect or be alert for whenever a potentially dangerous reaction and/or interaction may occur. This paper raises awareness regarding the need for developing a decision support system and ends with some considerations about the development of a technological solution capable of detecting HDIs and, thereby, aiding in the improvement of pharmacy services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemisa R Dores
- Laboratório de Reabilitação Psicossocial, Centro de Investigação em Reabilitação (CIR), Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel Peixoto
- Laboratório de Reabilitação Psicossocial, Centro de Investigação em Reabilitação (CIR), Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Castro
- Laboratório de Reabilitação Psicossocial, Centro de Investigação em Reabilitação (CIR), Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Sá
- Laboratório de Reabilitação Psicossocial, Centro de Investigação em Reabilitação (CIR), Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Irene P Carvalho
- Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia Martins
- Research Group on Intelligent Engineering and Computing for Advanced Innovation and Development (GECAD), School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto (ISEP/IPP), 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
| | - Eva Maia
- Research Group on Intelligent Engineering and Computing for Advanced Innovation and Development (GECAD), School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto (ISEP/IPP), 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Praça
- Research Group on Intelligent Engineering and Computing for Advanced Innovation and Development (GECAD), School of Engineering, Polytechnic of Porto (ISEP/IPP), 4249-015 Porto, Portugal
| | - António Marques
- Laboratório de Reabilitação Psicossocial, Centro de Investigação em Reabilitação (CIR), Escola Superior de Saúde, Instituto Politécnico do Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
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Vidović B, Đuričić B, Odalović M, Milošević Georgiev A, Tadić I. Dietary Supplements Use among Serbian Undergraduate Students of Different Academic Fields. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11036. [PMID: 36078751 PMCID: PMC9518540 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The rising popularity of dietary supplements as a part of self-care practice increases interest in monitoring their usage in the general and specific population groups. This study investigated the prevalence and patterns of dietary supplement use among Belgrade University undergraduate students and its variations across different academic study fields. Of the 914 online survey students, 55.7% used dietary supplements during the past year. Female gender, eating behavior, and academic field were significant predictors of dietary supplement use. For all students, the most commonly used dietary supplements were vitamins and minerals, alone or in combination. Magnesium, vitamin C, and B vitamins were the most frequently supplemented micronutrients. The reasons for using, place of purchase, and source of information regarding dietary supplements significantly varied among students of different fields of study. Adverse effects related to dietary supplement use, including gastrointestinal symptoms, skin flushing, dizziness, and heart palpitation, were reported in 4.5% of students. Insufficient knowledge about these products was self-reported by 16.5% of users, more common among non-medical students. Thus, public health interventions are needed to improve students' knowledge regarding rational and safe dietary supplement use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bojana Vidović
- Department of Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Bojana Đuričić
- Department of Bromatology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marina Odalović
- Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Andrijana Milošević Georgiev
- Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana Tadić
- Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia
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