Nielsen Merete Willemoes, Hansen Ebba H, Rasmussen Niels K
Department of Social Pharmacy, Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Sep;39(9):1534-8. doi: 10.1345/aph.1G119. Epub 2005 Aug 2.
The use of natural medicines is widespread and increasing. In addition, natural medicine use is based primarily on individual's decisions without counseling from health professionals. Unlike with conventional medicines, it is not possible to evaluate sales statistics and prescription records to determine how much natural medicine is being used and by whom. Self-reporting is the only method available for investigating use of these products.
To investigate the use of natural medicines with respect to sociodemographic factors, health status, and conventional drug therapy in a general national population.
Data were derived from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2000. A representative sample of the Danish population (N = 16 690) was interviewed face-to-face. The association between use of natural medicines within the past 14 days and age, education, health status, and conventional medicine use was analyzed by logistic regression. All analyses were performed separately for each gender.
Fourteen percent of the sample population had taken natural medicines within the past 14 days. Use was most prevalent among women and increased with age, but decreased again in the oldest age group (> or = 80 y). Respondents with poor health were the greatest consumers of natural medicines. Use was not associated with educational level and conventional drug therapy. Among conventional medicine users, 14% and 22% of men and women, respectively, used natural medicines.
This study demonstrated that natural medicine use is common and widespread health behavior in all strata of the population and should not be regarded as an alternative to conventional medicine. Clinicians should ask patients about natural medicine use to avoid interactions with conventional drugs.
天然药物的使用广泛且呈上升趋势。此外，天然药物的使用主要基于个人决定，未经健康专业人员的咨询。与传统药物不同，无法通过评估销售统计数据和处方记录来确定天然药物的使用量及使用者。自我报告是调查这些产品使用情况的唯一可用方法。
在全国普通人群中，调查天然药物的使用与社会人口统计学因素、健康状况及传统药物治疗的关系。
数据来源于2000年丹麦健康与发病率调查。对丹麦人口的代表性样本（N = 16690）进行面对面访谈。通过逻辑回归分析过去14天内天然药物的使用与年龄、教育程度、健康状况及传统药物使用之间的关联。对每种性别分别进行所有分析。
14%的样本人群在过去14天内服用过天然药物。女性中使用最为普遍，且随年龄增长而增加，但在最高年龄组（≥80岁）中又有所下降。健康状况较差的受访者是天然药物的最大消费者。使用情况与教育程度和传统药物治疗无关。在传统药物使用者中，男性和女性分别有14%和22%使用天然药物。
本研究表明，天然药物的使用是普通人群各阶层中常见且广泛的健康行为，不应被视为传统药物的替代品。临床医生应询问患者是否使用天然药物，以避免与传统药物发生相互作用。
