Herbal medicine: women's views, knowledge and interaction with doctors: a qualitative study
2006

Women's Views on Herbal Medicine and Doctor Communication

Sample size: 18 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Kathryn A Vickers, Kate B Jolly, Sheila M Greenfield

Primary Institution: The University of Birmingham

Hypothesis

What are women's perspectives on the safety of herbal remedies and their communication with doctors regarding herbal medicine use?

Conclusion

Women have limited knowledge about herb-drug interactions and often do not disclose their use of herbal medicines to doctors.

Supporting Evidence

  • Most women did not inform their GPs about herbal medicine use.
  • Many women believed herbal remedies could not interact with prescribed medicines.
  • Women expressed a desire for better information and labeling of herbal products.

Takeaway

Many women use herbal medicine but don't tell their doctors about it, even though it can be important for their health.

Methodology

Qualitative, cross-sectional study with in-depth semi-structured interviews.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to self-selection of participants from specific groups.

Limitations

The study's findings may not be generalizable due to the small sample size and specific demographic.

Participant Demographics

{"ethnicity":"White British","age_range":{"20-29":5,"30-39":1,"40-49":3,"50-59":7,"60-69":2},"mean_age":44,"socioeconomic_class":{"1":6,"2":7,"3":5}}

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6882-6-40

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication