Perception of Individuals with Diabetes about Efficacy and Safety of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) in the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background. CAM is widely accepted for the management of diabetes, and CAM users from many countries showed positive perception towards its use. However, little is known about the perception of individuals with diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Objectives. This study was aimed to assess the perception of the individuals with diabetes of Jazan region in Saudi Arabia towards CAM. Methods. An online, anonymous cross-sectional survey was designed and conducted between September 5 and December 31, 2021. Data were collected using 19-item self-report survey from the individuals with diabetes of the Jazan region. Results. A total of 359 validated responses were received. Approximately, 34% of the participants reported using CAM with modern medicine to control diabetes. Most of the participants reported that CAM is affordable, accessible, acceptable, and effective. Of the study sample, 28% reported using herbal medicine to control diabetes. Significantly, higher percentages of CAM users reported media (42% vs 27%) and friends/family (31% vs 27%) as the primary sources of information about CAM as compared to non-CAM users. Individuals who used CAM for diabetes showed significantly more positive perception (β = 2.386; p = 0.001 ) than those who did not use CAM in the adjusted analysis. Similarly, students had a significantly higher positive perception towards CAM (β = 4.121; p = 0.013 ) compared to employed individuals. Conclusion. A quarter of the sample of individuals with diabetes used herbal medicine to control diabetes. Individuals who ever used CAM for diabetes showed positive perception towards CAM. However, there is a need of healthcare workers to be involved in educating the individuals with diabetes and the general public in order to use CAM more effectively and safely.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs) Among Diabetic Patients in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Furthermore, nearly half (45.3%) of our population used both CAM and DM medications. These results are similar to those reported in a study by Meraya et al ( 16 ), in which 34% of patients were using CAM along with modern medicine for DM control. Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes are particularly likely to seek CAM.…”

“…The questionnaire comprised four major sections based on the literature ( 11 , 16 ). The first section gathered sociodemographic information on the participants, including age, gender, marital status, education status, employment status, and living area.…”

Habits, Traditions, and Beliefs Associated With the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Diabetic Patients in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

“…Several studies showed variations in results regarding the use of CAM among type 2 diabetes patients. Our results were lower than the studies conducted in other parts of Saudi Arabia, such as in Riyadh at 84.6%, Jazan at 34%, and Jeddah at 64% [18][19][20]. Another study that was conducted in UAE reported that 39.3% of participants were CAM users since diagnosis [12].…”

“…In addition, most of the participants (76.7%) admitted that they counsel their doctor about using herbal products to control diabetes. These findings were higher than the results of two studies done in Saudi Arabia [ 18 , 19 ].…”

“…Due to CAM’s availability and accessibility, about one-third of respondents used it. This is supported by a prior study, which found that most respondents cited affordability, accessibility, acceptability, and effectiveness as the main reasons they chose to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), as it is widely accessible and available throughout most of Saudi Arabia [ 19 ]. Another study that was carried out in Sudan revealed that accessibility and affordability were the suggested reasons for using herbal remedies [ 23 ].…”