Prevalence, expenditures, and associated factors of purchasing non-prescribed Chinese herbal medicine in Taiwan.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Purchasing Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) without a physician's prescription may have adverse effects on health. However, the recent status of purchasing non-prescribed CHM and the associated factors are not completely understood. We aimed to report the prevalence of purchasing CHM and associated factors.

Methods

Using data from the 2017 Taiwan Survey of Family Income and Expenditure, we identified 16,528 individuals (householders) aged 18 years and older. Sociodemographic factors, expenditures on medical services and health behaviours were compared between people with and without a history of purchasing non-prescribed CHM by calculating adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in a multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

SUBMITTER: Hu FP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7588068 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature