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% | ||