Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Jordan: A Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract

Background A number of countries are undergoing a continued increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases which are costly to manage. This increase has led to increased demand for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) globally. However, the use of CAM among those with these diseases raises a lot of concern due to a general lack of scientific evidence. In Jordan, just like in some countries, there is insufficient data on the use of CAM among patients with chronic diseases to enable informed decisions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify factors associated with the use of CAM among patients with chronic diseases attending primary health care facilities in Amman, Jordan. The information generated can be used to inform CAM policy and practices in Jordan and elsewhere. Methodology This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out at Sweileh Comprehensive Health Center, a primary health care (PHC) center in Amman among 440 participants who were selected by convenience method. Eligible adults, 18 years and above, whom were given informed consent. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire designed for the study. It was cleaned, entered in the Microsoft office Excel sheets, coded and then transferred to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Results The use of CAM among patients with chronic diseases was 54.7%. There was no association between the use of CAM and the socio-demographic factors, and clinical characteristics of the respondents considered for this study. The five commonly used modalities were; Herbs, Hijama, Food and dietary products, Vitamins and prayers. When a bivariate analysis is made for CAM use, a significant relationship with smoking was seen for Hijama (p<0.001), Vitamins (P, 0.001), and Herbs (p, 0.001). Only 59.8% of respondents who used CAM disclosed it to their doctors. Conclusion In order to improve the management of patients with chronic diseases, clinical guidelines for management of chronic diseases should cater for the use of CAM as an integrated disease management approach. In addition, they should ensure that patients have rights to the choice of treatment which they think can help them with guidance from the health workers.