Factors Predicting Traditional and Complementary Medicine Use Among the General Public in Malaysia doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v6i7.21
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Abstract
Globally, traditional and complementary medicines (T&CM) are becoming a major source of quality medicines with increasing interest in Malaysia. This study aimed to explore the possible predictors of T&CM usage among the general public in Malaysia.A cross-sectional survey was conducted across samples of the general public in Malaysia using a self-administered questionnaire. The participants were conveniently sampled across Malaysia between November 2018 and May 2019. The predictors of T&CM use were identified using simple and multiple logistic regression in IBM SPSS version 26.0. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.A total of 896 participants were included in the study, of which 62.7% were T&CM users. The median score of perceived benefits towards T&CM use was significantly higher for T&CM users than non-T&CM users. Older age of 41-50 years [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.33; 95% CI 1.47, 7.53], Chinese ethnicity (aOR: 2.95; 95% CI 1.97, 4.42), other ethnicities (aOR: 2.25; 95% CI 1.02, 2.58) and with higher score in the perceived benefit domain (aOR: 1.10; 95% CI 1.97, 4.42) were more likely to use T&CM (p<0.05).The study showed that the predictors of T&CM use were older age, Chinese and other ethnicities, and participants with perceived benefits of T&CM therapies. The findings may help healthcare providers and policymakers provide appropriate guidance regarding the rational and safe use of T&CM.
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