Elderly herbal supplement users less satisfied with medical care than nonusers.
The purpose of the study was to examine differences between elderly herbal supplement users and nonusers with respect to their perceptions of the safety of supplements and their satisfaction with current medical care. The researchers interviewed 69 elderly persons from congregate meal sites in four Illinois counties to assess herbal supplement use, perceptions of herbal supplement safety, medical supervision of herbal supplement use, and satisfaction with medical care. Two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests compared both perceived safety of herbal supplements and satisfaction with medical care of supplement users and nonusers. Herbal supplement users were more likely to perceive supplements as safe and to be less satisfied with conventional medical care than nonusers. Some elderly persons do not inform physicians that they are using herbal supplements, thus increasing the risk for supplement misuse, toxicity, and drug-supplement interactions. It is important that physicians, dietetics professionals, and pharmacists inquire about and discuss herbal supplement use with elderly patients.
Rush Oak Park Hospital, IL, USA.
Linnet E
LE
Shahrokh
Judith M
JM
Lukaszuk
Aimee D
AD
Prawitz
D000368:Aged; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D041743:Herb-Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D028321:Plant Preparations