title: The prevalence, characteristics, and factors associated with purchasing Chinese herbal medicine among adults in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with purchasing Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) without a physician's prescription among adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey and National Health Insurance, we identified 16,756 individuals aged 20 years and older. Socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, medical services utilization and health behaviors were compared between people with and without a history of purchasing CHM by calculating adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in a multiple logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The one-month prevalence of purchasing CHM without a physician' prescription was 5.2% in Taiwan. People more likely to purchase CHM included people aged ≥70 years (OR 2.84, 95% CI 2.03-3.99), women (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.11-1.48), non-indigenous people (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.29-5.30), and people with an illness not receiving medical care (OR 2.69, 95% CI 2.19-3.31).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of purchasing CHM without a physician's prescription is high in Taiwan and is correlated with factors such as socio-demographics, disease history, and behaviors surrounding the utilization of medical care.
authors.affiliation: The School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Program for the Clinical Drug Discovery from Botanical Herbs, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Taipei Chinese Medical Association, Taipei, Taiwan.|Quality of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy Medical Association, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun -Chuan
authors.initials: C-
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Clinical Informatics and Medical Statistics Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lu-Hsiang
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Surgery, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Chun-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: The School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Long
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.affiliation: The School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Department of Chinese Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-Ju
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: The School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: The School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, 252 Wu-Xing Street, Taipei, 110, Taiwan.|Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Anesthesiology and Health Policy Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ta-Liang
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, 252 Wu-Xing Street, Taipei, 110, Taiwan. jacky48863027@yahoo.com.tw.|Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. jacky48863027@yahoo.com.tw.|Anesthesiology and Health Policy Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. jacky48863027@yahoo.com.tw.|School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. jacky48863027@yahoo.com.tw.|Department of Anesthesiology, Shuan Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. jacky48863027@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Chien-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics; D015995:Prevalence; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal