Research Conducted at Department of Clinical Pharmacology Has Updated Our Knowledge about Hypertension (Herbal and Alternative Medicine Use in…

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Research Conducted at Department of Clinical Pharmacology Has Updated Our Knowledge about Hypertension (Herbal and Alternative Medicine Use in Tanzanian Adults Admitted with Hypertension-Related Diseases: A Mixed-Methods Stu)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Data detailed on Cardiovascular Diseases and Conditions - Hypertension have been presented. According to news originating from Mwanza, Tanzania, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "Hypertension is increasingly common in sub-Saharan Africa where traditional medicine use is also common. We conducted a hospital-based, mixed-methods study to determine prevalence, pattern, and correlates of herbal and alternative medicine use in Tanzanian adults hospitalized with hypertension."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, "A standardized questionnaire was administered. In-depth interviews were performed on a subset of participants. Factors associated with herbal medicine use were determined by logistic regression. The association between traditional medicine uses and allopathic medication adherence was determined using ordinal logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed according to grounded theory. Of 213 adults enrolled, 52 (24.4%) reported using herbs during the previous month and 47 (22.1%) reported concurrent use of herbs and allopathic medicines. Lower educational level, nonprofessional employment, and lack of health insurance were significantly associated with herbal medicine use. Alternative medicines use was not associated with lower medication adherence. Qualitative interviews identified several important themes including reasons for herbal medicine use. The use of traditional medicines is very common among patients with hypertension. Adults from low socioeconomic status, those with misunderstandings about hypertension, and those without health insurance were more likely to take herbs."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Open, nonjudgmental communication between healthcare workers and patients regarding use of traditional medicines must be encouraged in Africa."

For more information on this research see: Herbal and Alternative Medicine Use in Tanzanian Adults Admitted with Hypertension-Related Diseases: A Mixed-Methods Stu. International Journal of Hypertension, 2017;2017():5692572. (Hindawi Publishing - www.hindawi.com; International Journal of Hypertension - www.hindawi.com/journals/ijht/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from A. Liwa, Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, Weill Bugando School of Medicine, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, PO Box 1464, Mwanza, Tanzania. Additional authors for this research include R. Roediger, H. Jaka, A. Bougaila, L. Smart, S. Langwick and R. Peck.

Keywords for this news article include: Mwanza, Africa, Tanzania, Hypertension, Health Insurance, Traditional Medicine, Complementary Therapy, Cardiovascular Diseases and Conditions.