Table 5 HDS use among users (n = 154)
HDS use | Frequency (%) |
|---|---|
Number of HDS use | |
 Using one type of HDS | 107 (69.5) |
 Using two types of HDS | 39 (25.3) |
 Using three types of HDS | 8 (5.2) |
Classification of HDS use | |
 Using herbal medicine only | 21(13.6) |
 Using dietary supplement only | 116 (75.3) |
 Using both herbal medicine and dietary supplements | 17 (11) |
Average number of HDS used by respondents (mean ± SD) | 1.34 ± 0.55 |
Range | 1–3 |
Type of HDS currently usinga | |
 Vitamin C | 60 (39) |
 Honey | 35 (22.7) |
 Fish oil | 15 (9.7) |
 Glucosamine | 14 (9.1) |
 Traditional herbal preparation (jamu / makjun) | 12 (7.8) |
 Vitamin B complex | 12 (7.8) |
 Vitamin B12 | 11 (7.1) |
 Commercial herbal juice | 9 (5.8) |
 Multivitamin | 7 (4.5) |
 Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) | 6 (3.9) |
 Apple cider vinegar | 5 (3.2) |
 Colostrum | 4 (2.6) |
 Homemade herbal juice | 4 (2.6) |
 Ginger (crude) | 3 (1.9) |
 Turmeric capsule | 3 (1.9) |
 Zinc | 3 (1.9) |
 Apricot seed | 2 (1.3) |
 Vitamin E | 1 (0.6) |
Reason for HDS usea | |
 Easy to obtain | 139 (90.3) |
 Affordable | 132 (85.7) |
 Recommendation from family and friends | 127 (82.5) |
 I want to try HDS | 122 (79.2) |
 HDS is effective | 98 (63.6) |
 My problem is not serious enough to use modern medicine | 84 (54.5) |
 Safe | 79 (51.3) |
 I prefer to use HDS rather than using modern medicine | 68 (44.2) |
 I am familiar with the health benefits of HDS | 48 (31.2) |
 Recommendation from healthcare practitioners | 33 (21.4) |
Disclosure to healthcare professionals | |
 Yes | 25 (16.2) |
 No | 133 (86.4) |
Source of HDSa | |
 Pharmacy | 86 (55.8) |
 Family and friends | 51 (33.1) |
 Supermarket | 34 (22.1) |
 Grocery store | 12 (7.8) |
 Traditional medicine outlet | 5 (3.2) |
 Night market | 4 (2.6) |
 Online | 4 (2.6) |
 Health store / organic store | 0 (0) |
Spending on HDS | |
 Less than RM 100 | 125 (81.2) |
 RM 100 – RM 200 | 14 (9.1) |
 More than RM 200 | 4 (2.6) |
 Unspecified | 15 (9.7) |
Source of information about HDSa | |
 Family and friends | 142 (92.2) |
 Internet | 59 (38.3) |
 Television | 56 (36.4) |
 Newspapers | 41 (26.6) |
 Medical practitioners | 40 (26) |
 Pharmacists | 36 (23.4) |
 Books | 13 (8.4) |
 Radio | 9 (5.8) |