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Table 3 Factors associated with the use of herbal medicine among patients diagnosed with hepatitis

From: Herbal medicine use among patients with viral and non-viral Hepatitis in Uganda: prevalence, patterns and related factors

Factor

Total

N = 310

Users

n = 143(%)

Non-users n = 167(%)

Unadjusted PRR(95%CI)

p-value

Age groups

 18–24

77

21 (14.7)

56 (33.5)

1

1

 25–34

100

51 (35.7)

49 (29.3)

1.09 (0.87–1.37)

0.45

 35–44

74

31 (21.7)

43 (25.8)

0.97 (0.74–1.27)

0.84

 45–54

47

32 (22.4)

15 (9.0)

1.14 (0.91–1.44)

0.26

 ≥55

12

8 (5.6)

4 (2.4)

1.02 (0.71–1.49)

0.88

Gender

 Male

171

77 (53.9)

94 (56.3)

1

1

 Female

139

66 (46.2)

73 (43.7)

0.92 (0.79–1.06)

0.24

Residence

 Rural

59

33 (23.1)

26 (15.6)

1

1

 Urban

251

110 (76.9)

141 (84.4)

1.09 (0.91–1.31)

0.33

Education status

 None

4

3 (2.1)

1 (0.6)

1

1

 Primary

90

55 (38.5)

35 (21.0)

0.81 (0.72–0.91)

< 0.001

 Secondary

145

56 (39.2)

89 (53.3)

0.82 (0.74–0.92)

0.001

 Post-secondary

71

29 (20.3)

42 (25.2)

0.83 (0.71–0.96)

0.015

Current Diagnosis

 Hep B

289

130 (90.9)

159 (95.2)

1

1

 Hep B & C

4

1 (0.7)

3 (1.8)

0.62 (0.15–2.48)

0.49

 Hep C

12

7 (4.9)

5 (3.0)

1.23 (1.14–1.33)

< 0.001

 Othersa

5

5 (3.5)

–

1.23 (1.14–1.33)

< 0.001

Time since diagnosis

 <  6 months

169

81 (56.6)

88 (52.7)

1

1

 6–12 months

67

31 (21.7)

36 (21.6)

0.96 (0.82–1.11)

0.56

 13–24 months

34

14 (9.8)

20 (12.0)

0.68 (0.48–0.94)

0.02

 >  24 months

40

17 (12.0)

23 (13.8)

0.76 (0.57–0.99)

0.04

Herbal medicine causing AEsb

 No

172

110 (76.9)

62 (37.1)

1

1

 Yes

76

23 (16.1)

53 (31.7)

0.79 (0.62–1.01)

0.06

 Not sure

62

10 (7.0)

52 (31.1)

1.06 (0.87–1.30)

0.53

Safe to use both

 No

192

53 (37.1)

139 (83.2)

1

1

 Yes

111

85 (59.4)

26 (15.6)

1.19 (1.02–1.39)

0.03

 Not sure

7

5 (3.5)

2 (1.2)

1.36 (1.18–1.56)

< 0.001

Higher cost of treatment

 Conventional

194

98 (68.5)

96 (57.5)

1

1

 Herbal

104

44 (30.8)

60 (35.9)

0.94 (0.81–1.09)

0.42

 Not sure

12

1 (0.7)

11 (6.6)

0.29 (0.05–1.61)

0.16

Communication from health workers

 No

212

83 (58.0)

129 (77.3)

1

1

 Yes

98

60 (42.0)

38 (22.8)

1.02 (0.89–1.18)

0.74

Total

310

143 (100%)

167 (100%)

  
  1. aOthers includes both alcohol-induced hepatitis and drug-induced hepatitis
  2. bAEs- adverse effects