<p>Herbal Medicine Use and Determinant Factors Among HIV/AIDS Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia</p>

Abstract

Background The use of herbal medicine is common among HIV/AIDS patients due to chronic nature of the disease. However, the data are scarce on the extent of herbal medicine use and associated factors among HIV/AIDS patients while on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Ethiopia. Purpose To assess the extent of herbal medicine use and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS on ART in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study design was conducted from February to June 2019. Patients were interviewed face to face using a structured questionnaire. Binary analysis using a chi-square test was used to determine the independent association of herbal medicine use to demographic and clinical characteristics, and multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression was done to identify predictability of herbal medicine use adjusted for other factors. Results A total of 318 participants were included in this study of which 26.1% of patients have used herbal medicines while on ART. The common herbal medicines used by participants were garlic ( Allium stadium ) 37.35% and Damakase ( Ocimum lumiifolium ) 22.9%. Most participants (60%) used herbal medicine for the treatment of opportunistic infections. The independent predictors for herbal medicine use were female gender (P=0.04; AOR 1.99, 95% CI 1.02–3.88), age above 60 (P=0.046; AOR 2.79, 95% CI 1.02–7.65), history of experiencing OIs (p=0.02; AOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.12–3.65) and developing side effects from ART (p=0.001; AOR 2.80, 95% CI 1.55–5.10). Conclusion A considerable proportion of HIV/AIDS patients used herbal medicine concomitantly with ART at TASH, Ethiopia. The determinant factors for use of herbal medicine were female gender, age above 60, experiencing OIs and developing side effects from ART.

Prevalence, Perception and Predictors of Concomitant Herbal Medicine Use among HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Patients in Metekel Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In the present study, significant predictors of herbal medicine use were the type of healthcare facility on follow-up ( P ≤ 0.03), disease state [HIV vs. TB] ( P =0.02), occupation ( P =0.01), encountering side effects from ART ( P =0.04), and history of discontinuing ART ( P =0.03). Our finding is similar to the reports that independent predictors of herbal medicine use among HIV/AIDS patients are a history of experiencing side effects from ART [ 15 , 20 , 36 ], nonadherence to ART (15), and occupation [ 14 ]. Despite our findings, several other factors such as older age, female sex [ 20 ], the occurrence of OIs [ 20 , 37 ], educational level [ 10 , 11 ], duration on ART, self-perceived health status [ 36 ], and perceptions towards herbal therapy [ 12 ] are found to be independent predictors for herbal medicine among HIV patients.…”

“…Our finding is similar to the reports that independent predictors of herbal medicine use among HIV/AIDS patients are a history of experiencing side effects from ART [ 15 , 20 , 36 ], nonadherence to ART (15), and occupation [ 14 ]. Despite our findings, several other factors such as older age, female sex [ 20 ], the occurrence of OIs [ 20 , 37 ], educational level [ 10 , 11 ], duration on ART, self-perceived health status [ 36 ], and perceptions towards herbal therapy [ 12 ] are found to be independent predictors for herbal medicine among HIV patients.…”

“…Many independent factors predict herbal medicines use among PLWHA. Several studies reported that higher herbal medicine use is associated with shorter duration since diagnosis (<5 years), shorter duration on ART (<4 years), experiencing opportunistic infections (OIs), the occurrence of ART side effects, living in a rural province, female gender, older age, being unmarried, employed, and limited education among HIV patients on ART [ 14 , 15 , 19 , 20 ].…”

Herbal medicines use among HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapy and its influence on viral suppression and CD4 count: A survey at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania

“…Clinically significant herbal drug interactions among HIV/AIDS patients on ART have been reported in some African countries [ 8 , 9 ]. Worse enough, studies have indicated that, majority of HIV/AIDS patients using herbal medicines and ARVs concomitantly do not disclose this information to their health care providres when they attend routine clinic visits [ [10] , [11] , [12] ] thus may act as a confounder during the assessment of clinical and immunological outcomes during clinic visits.…”

Lysiphyllum strychnifolium (Craib) A. Schmitz Extracts Moderate the Expression of Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes: In Vivo Study to Clinical Propose

“…For example, Clairet et al reported that 30–70% of cancer patients use alternative medicines during chemotherapy [ 26 ]. The prevalence of HM use in people living with HIV ranges from 50–95%, whereas HM is also of great significance for the treatment of tuberculosis [ 27 , 28 ]. Previous studies revealed that HDIs differ from HM in terms of their interaction potential.…”