Determination of Herbal Complementary Health Approach Uses in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: This study was conducted to determine the herbal complementary health approach (CHA) use of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a Family Health Center (FHC) located in the central district of Bursa and in the city center of Erzincan. A total of 607 patients who applied to the specified centers between February and May 2019 for any reason and were diagnosed with T2DM for at least one year were included in the study. The data were collected in the centers related to the face-to-face interview method using a questionnaire containing socio-demographic and disease characteristics. Height and weight measurements of the patients were made. Results: It was determined that a total of 23.4% (n=142/ Bursa 25.1%, n=76; Erzincan 21.5%, n=66) of the patients used herbal CHA such as cinnamon, lemon, pine tree/kindling water and parsley in addition to the treatment. In addition, it was found that 10% received the recommendation for herbal product use from their physician, 82.4% received information from their family and friends, obtained information via the Internet, and 58.5% did not inform their physicians about the use of herbal products. As a result of the logistic regression analysis, the use of herbal products was high in patients who were high school/university graduates and had a disease duration of 1-5 years (p<0.05). Conclusion: Approximately one-fourth of the patients use herbal CHA in addition to the treatment, the vast majority of them get advice from family and friends, get information from the internet, and more than half do not share the use of herbal products with their physicians. Educational status and duration of illness are strong predictors of herbal product use. It is important that health professionals working in primary health care centers frequently question and coordinate their use of CHA, especially herbal products, in order to ensure effective and safe use of CHA by patients.