title: Use of complementary and alternative medicines in haemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study from Palestine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and herbal therapies, are accepted worldwide, and have been important from medical, sociological and economic perspectives, among haemodialysis (HD) patients. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the use of CAM among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who are undergoing HD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Face-to-face interviews of patients with ESRD undergoing HD from ten outpatient renal departments at a national level in Palestine were conducted from June 2014 to January 2015. A survey questionnaire, which included questions on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and on the CAM therapies that were used, was administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 267 patients interviewed, 172 patients used at least one type of CAM in the last month prior to the interview, and thus the utilisation rate was 64.4 %. Forty one (15.4 %) patients reported using one type of CAMs, while 18.7 % used two different CAMs and 30.3 % used more than two types of CAMs for their health status. Of the patients who used CAM, herbal therapies were used most often (43.5 %), followed by honey (35.6 %), diet (22.8 %), and exorcism in Islam (16.9 %). The herbal therapies mentioned most often were Nigella sativa L. (18.7 %), followed by Salvia officinalis L. (16.9 %), and Pimpinella anisum L. (10.5 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the prevalence of CAM is relatively high in the selected population. Most patients used biological therapies such as herbal remedies, thus highlighting a greater need for patient education regarding CAM therapies and possible herb-drug interactions. Health care providers must be aware of the potential benefits and risks related to CAM use. There is a need for more clinical research pertaining to CAM to reach stronger evidence regarding potential benefits and risks related to CAM use.
authors.affiliation: Poison Control and Drug Information Center (PCDIC), College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine. saedzyoud@yahoo.com.|Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine. saedzyoud@yahoo.com.|WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Information, National Poison Centre, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, 11800, Malaysia. saedzyoud@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sa'ed H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zyoud
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine.
authors.forename: Samah W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Al-Jabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine.
authors.forename: Waleed M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sweileh
authors.affiliation: PharmD program, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Ghada H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tabeeb
authors.affiliation: PharmD program, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Nora A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ayaseh
authors.affiliation: PharmD program, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Mayas N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sawafta
authors.affiliation: PharmD program, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Razan L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Khdeir
authors.affiliation: PharmD program, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Diana O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Mezyed
authors.affiliation: PharmD program, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Dala N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Daraghmeh
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Information, National Poison Centre, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, 11800, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Rahmat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Awang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine; End-stage renal disease; Haemodialysis; Herbal medicine; Palestine