Table 5 Reason and pattern of Traditional and Complementary Medicine utilisation among users (n = 255)
Pattern of use | Frequency, n (%) |
|---|---|
Reasons for TCM Use | |
 Maintain wellness only | 122 (47.8) |
 Therapeutic purpose only | 67 (26.3) |
 Both wellness and therapeutic | 57 (22.4) |
 Religious reason | 9 (3.5) |
Sources of Informationa | |
 Friends | 108 (30.0) |
 Family | 79 (21.9) |
 Others | 53 (14.7) |
 Social Media | 44 (12.2) |
 Health care providers | 37 (10.3) |
 Mass Media | 28 (7.8) |
 TCM providers | 11 (3.1) |
Sources of TCMa | |
 Pharmacy | 112 (33.0) |
 TCM User’s house | 80 (23.6) |
 TCM Kiosk | 77 (22.7) |
 TCM providers | 53 (15.7) |
 Online | 9 (2.7) |
 Health facilities | 8 (2.4) |
Types of TCMa | |
 Health Supplement | 124 (47.5) |
 Traditional Malay Medicine | 85 (32.6) |
 Other Complementary Medicine | 23 (8.8) |
 Traditional Chinese Medicine | 14 (5.4) |
 Islamic Medical Practice | 8 (3.1) |
 Homeopathy | 4 (1.5) |
 Traditional Indian Medicine | 3 (1.1) |
Cost, RM (per month) | |
 Min-Max | 0–4000 |
 Mean ± SD | 127.9 ± 16.7 |
 Median ± IQR | 100.0 ± 100 |
Disclosure to Health Care Provider | |
 No | 161 (63.1) |
 Yes | 94 (36.9) |
Reasons for Non-Disclosurea | |
 Never asked by HCP | 126 (72.8) |
 Not important to disclose | 32 (18.5) |
 Others | 15 (8.7) |