Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2013 Jan 2;13:1. doi: 10.1186/1472-698X-13-1.
While there are biomedical drugs for managing diabetes mellitus, some patients with diabetes use traditional medicine. The aim of the study was to explore why patients with diabetes use traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes.
The study was conducted in Iganga and Bugiri districts in Eastern Uganda using four focus group discussions (FGDs) with patients with diabetes; two with female patients and two with male patients, thirteen key informant interviews (KIIs); nine with health workers working with patients with diabetes and four with herbalists. FGDs and KIIs focused on what respondents perceived as reasons for patients with diabetes taking traditional medicine. Analysis was done using content analysis.
Reasons for taking traditional medicine included finding difficulties accessing hospitals, diabetic drugs being out of stock, traditional medicine being acceptable and available within community, as well as being supplied in big quantities. Others were traditional medicine being cheaper than biomedical treatment and payment for it being done in installments. Traditional medicine was also more convenient to take and was marketed aggressively by the herbalists. Influence of family and friends as well as traditional healers contributed to use of traditional medicine.
Possibilities of putting diabetic drugs at facilities closer to patients need to be considered and health facilities should have a constant supply of diabetic drugs. Community members need to be sensitized on the proper treatment for diabetes mellitus and on the dangers of taking traditional medicine.
虽然有治疗糖尿病的生物医学药物，但一些糖尿病患者会使用传统药物。本研究旨在探讨糖尿病患者为何使用传统药物治疗糖尿病。
本研究在乌干达东部的伊甘加和布吉里地区进行，使用了四种焦点小组讨论（FGD），参与者为糖尿病患者；其中两组为女性患者，两组为男性患者，还进行了十三次关键知情人访谈（KII）；九次访谈对象为与糖尿病患者一起工作的卫生工作者，四次访谈对象为草药医生。FGD 和 KII 主要关注患者认为他们使用传统药物的原因。分析采用内容分析法。
使用传统药物的原因包括难以获得医院治疗、糖尿病药物缺货、传统药物在社区内可接受且可获得，并且供应量大。其他原因包括传统药物比生物医学治疗更便宜，并且可以分期付款支付。传统药物也更方便服用，而且草药医生大力推销。家庭和朋友以及传统治疗师的影响也促成了传统药物的使用。
需要考虑将糖尿病药物放在离患者更近的地方，并确保医疗机构有稳定的糖尿病药物供应。需要向社区成员宣传适当的糖尿病治疗方法以及使用传统药物的危险。
