Prevalence, perception, and use of herbal remedies among the geriatric population in Karbala

Globally, there has been an upsurge in the use of herbal remedies among populations in different countries. Few studies have been performed to detect the use and risk of herbal remedies in the senior community, especially given the high frequency of chronic diseases. Thus, this work aimed to uncover the frequency of herbal medicine consumption among the geriatric population in Karbala and the possible impact of herbal medicine on their health and current medical history. This study was carried out in a cross-sectional design between October 2023 and June 2024, using a pretested questionnaire administered to elderly patients aged ≥60 residing in Karbala. Participants engaged in in-person sessions and responded to a comprehensive questionnaire consisting of 20 closed-ended questions. The data gathered were assessed using a statistical package for social sciences; Pearson’s R was used to correlate some variables, and P-values>0.05 were considered significant. Four hundred and ten patients from home care and hospitals in Karbala joined this survey. 64.4% of participants were aged 64-75, and 51.7% were male, compared to 48.3% of females. Data showed no significant differences between gender, income, and education. Most participants (84.4%) had chronic disease, and 60 % of them were prescribed more than two medications to control these disorders. Results showed that 51.22% of patients used herbs, and 24.8% believed the herbs were utterly devoid of side effects. 73.7% of patients reported not disclosing their use of herbs to their physicians, and 76.1% were not aware of possible drug-herbal interaction. The study also revealed that elderly patients in the studied area used about twenty-one different herbal remedies, with seven having the highest rate of use: Cinnamon (11.4%), Chamomile (11.0%), Anise (10.0%), Borage (7.6%), Garlic (7.1%), Ginko (6.2%), and Ginger (5.7%). The study concluded that elderly patients highly use herbal remedies regardless of gender, income, and education. This use imposes the risk of drug-herbal interaction as patients do not disclose herbal use to their healthcare professionals, and they are not aware of possible dangers.