Prevalence, Forms, and Factors Associated With the Use of Herbal Medicine Among Adults Diagnosed With Hypertension at Naguru Regional Referral Hospital: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Previous studies reported increasing herbal medicine (HM) use among patients with cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Although HMs are widely used for their therapeutic benefits, repeated use has raised concerns due to reported adverse effects and potential interactions with conventional treatments. This study assessed the prevalence, forms (preparation), and factors associated with HM use among hypertension patients in an urban setting in Uganda.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2021 among 121 patients with hypertension at Naguru Regional Referral Hospital using standardized questionnaires. Descriptive and multivariate analyses identified factors independently associated with HM use, with p  <  0.05 as the significance threshold.

Results: All 121 (100%) participants had ever used HM for hypertension; 86 (71.1%) reported consistent use in the past 12 months. Daily use was reported at 53 (43.8%), while 74 (61.2%) reported concurrent use with conventional medicine. The majority used HM in the liquid form [74 (61.2%)], but most HMs were ingested orally [101 (83.5%)]. 53 participants (43.8%) chose HMs themselves, and 46 (39.3%) procured from herbalists. The main HM knowledge source was family [53 (25.6%)]. High odds of HM use were observed among participants from the Central Region (AOR = 9.4; 95% CI = 1.7-51.0), those with easy access to herbalists and doctors (AOR = 1.6; 95% CI = 0.4-76.8), those who did not inform health workers about HM use (AOR = 5.3; 95% CI = 0.5-54.0), and those who perceived concurrent HM use as safe and beneficial (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI = 0.6-7.3) or free of side effects (AOR = 6.8; 95% CI = 1.6-28.9). Region (p = 0.009), accessibility (p = 0.049), and perception of no side effects (p = 0.009) were significantly associated with HM use.

Conclusion: HM is widely used by urban-dwelling patients with hypertension and is influenced by perceived benefits, safety, and ease of access. Health workers need to proactively inquire about HM use to effectively advise hypertension patients, tailor interventions appropriately, and monitor treatment outcomes. More research is needed to systematically measure and track outcomes in patients who use HM remedies to treat hypertension.