Table 4.
Communication with health care professionals, adverse effects and monthly costs of herbs among current herb users and proportion of co-users of conventional drugs and herbs
| Total n (%) | Proportion of co-users | p-value A | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication about herb use with (n = 146):C |
PhysicianD |
27 (18) |
74% |
0.269 |
| Other |
10 (7) |
80% |
0.324 |
|
| Never discussed |
113 (77) |
59% |
0.104 |
|
| The health care providers response to herb use (n = 167): |
Not discussed |
134 (80) |
63% |
0.463 |
| Encouraged use |
12 (7) |
83% |
|
|
| Discouraged useE |
7 (4) |
57% |
|
|
| Neutral/indifferent |
14 (8) |
71% |
|
|
| Reasons for never discussing herb use with health care professionals (n = 110): |
I was never asked |
50 (45) |
56% |
0.723 |
| Afraid of the responseF |
23 (21) |
65% |
|
|
| Only my own concern/confidential |
34 (31) |
62% |
|
|
| Uncertain of the herbal effect |
3 (3) |
33% |
|
|
| Experienced adverse effects of herbs (n = 120)? |
Yes |
8 (7) |
100% |
0.026
B
|
| No |
112 (93) |
61% |
|
|
| Costs of herb use per month (EuroG) |
Mean (SD, range) |
36.6 (29.0, 0.4-205) |
40.4 (34.8, 0.4-205) |
0.337 |
| Cost range, NOK (Euro) (n = 88) | 1-199 (0.1-27.2) |
24 (27) |
71% |
0.330 |
| 200-399 (27.3-54.5) |
47 (53) |
57% |
|
|
| 400-599 (54.6-81.8) |
9 (10) |
56% |
|
|
| >600 (>82.0) | 8 (9) | 88% | ||
AP-value for comparison of communication, motives for herbal use, adverse effects and costs between co-users of drugs and herbs and not co-users. Analysed with Pearson Chi-Square or Fisher’s exact test given the number of total users were below five.
BSignificantly different with p < 0.05.
CMultiple answers were possible.
DIncludes GPs, regular GPs (family doctors) and hospital physicians.
EA merge of the responses «warned about the risk” and “discouraged use”.
FA merge of the responses “I was afraid of not getting acknowledgement for my choice”, “I was afraid they got dissatisfied” and “I was afraid of being rejected”.
GConverted from NOK to Euro. Exchange rate retrieved 23.11.2012 at 09.12 AM (1 Euro = 7.32 NOK).