Use of natural medicines in the Danish population: a national cross-sectional survey.
BACKGROUND
The use of natural medicines is widespread and increasing. In addition, natural medicine use is based primarily on individual's decisions without counseling from health professionals. Unlike with conventional medicines, it is not possible to evaluate sales statistics and prescription records to determine how much natural medicine is being used and by whom. Self-reporting is the only method available for investigating use of these products.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the use of natural medicines with respect to sociodemographic factors, health status, and conventional drug therapy in a general national population.


METHODS
Data were derived from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2000. A representative sample of the Danish population (N = 16 690) was interviewed face-to-face. The association between use of natural medicines within the past 14 days and age, education, health status, and conventional medicine use was analyzed by logistic regression. All analyses were performed separately for each gender.


RESULTS
Fourteen percent of the sample population had taken natural medicines within the past 14 days. Use was most prevalent among women and increased with age, but decreased again in the oldest age group (> or = 80 y). Respondents with poor health were the greatest consumers of natural medicines. Use was not associated with educational level and conventional drug therapy. Among conventional medicine users, 14% and 22% of men and women, respectively, used natural medicines.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that natural medicine use is common and widespread health behavior in all strata of the population and should not be regarded as an alternative to conventional medicine. Clinicians should ask patients about natural medicine use to avoid interactions with conventional drugs.
Nielsen
Merete Willemoes
MW
Department of Social Pharmacy, Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark. mwn@dfuni.dk
Hansen
Ebba H
EH
Rasmussen
Niels K
NK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D001685:Biological Factors