Ahmad Wasim, Ahmad Ayaz, Hassan Yousif A, Sivapalan Nisha, Daniel Shainy, Anna Ruby A, Al-Shurfa Fatimah, Albaharnah Fatimah, Al-Hayyan Amjad
Department of Pharmacy, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Abdulrazaq Bin Hammam Street, As Safa Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Nursing, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Abdulrazaq Bin Hammam Street, As Safa Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2022 Apr-Jun;14(2):99-105. doi: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_186_22. Epub 2022 Jul 18.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)/natural products/herbs are frequently used for therapeutic purposes as a homemade remedy in Saudi Arabia. The use of CAMs is rising globally. However, special attention or precaution should be paid when using CAMs along with other drugs.
The current study aims to examine the perception, attitude, knowledge, and awareness of the general population about CAMs and their utilization.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2020 in the Dammam region of Saudi Arabia. The study included both the gender participants of the general population of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire contains the following sections including socio-demographic data, knowledge, attitude, and behavior of participants related to CAMs, and the prevalence of CAMs utilization in Dammam.
Participants were closely sex-matched (male: 50.93% and female: 49.07%), consisting of 97.1% Saudis and only 2.9% expats. The response rate was 67%; out of 559 participants, only 375 participants completed the questionnaire. Approximately 53% of participants had some knowledge of CAMs. Mass media (media/web/internet, advertisement, and television (TV), academic education, and family friends/relative represented the main source of the CAMs information (50%, 8.8%, and 15.2%, respectively). Among 77.3% of the participants, one of their family members has used some form of CAMs earlier. 90% of the participants or their family members using CAMs reported that olive oil (95.7%), green tea (89.1%), thyme (85.3%), cinnamon bark (84.8%), star anise (84.5%), and black seeds (78.4%) were the most used CAMs. Participants used CAMs for cold (28.3%), cough (14%), constipation (11.97%), ease of menstruation (10.8%), diarrhea (9.87%), and fever (8.62%). Approximately 75% of participants did not observe any side effects. Only 1% of participants reported that the CAMs are not useful therapeutically whereas the majority of the participants reported them as very useful (32.7%), useful (45.5%), and good (20.7%).
Current study demonstrates that there is a positive attitude and perception toward CAMs. It is influenced by their traditional use as well. However, a community awareness program is essential for the adverse effects of CAMs.
在沙特阿拉伯，补充和替代医学（CAM）/天然产品/草药经常被用作家庭疗法用于治疗目的。CAM的使用在全球范围内呈上升趋势。然而，在将CAM与其他药物一起使用时应特别注意或谨慎。
本研究旨在调查普通人群对CAM及其使用的认知、态度、知识和意识。
2020年3月在沙特阿拉伯达曼地区进行了一项横断面研究。该研究纳入了沙特阿拉伯达曼普通人群的男女参与者。问卷包括以下部分，包括社会人口统计学数据、参与者与CAM相关的知识、态度和行为，以及达曼地区CAM使用的患病率。
参与者性别匹配度高（男性：50.93%，女性：49.07%），其中97.1%为沙特人，只有2.9%为外籍人士。回复率为67%；在559名参与者中，只有375名参与者完成了问卷。约53%的参与者对CAM有一定了解。大众媒体（媒体/网络/互联网、广告和电视）、学术教育以及家人朋友/亲戚是CAM信息的主要来源（分别为50%、8.8%和15.2%）。在77.3%的参与者中，他们的家庭成员中有一人曾使用过某种形式的CAM。90%使用CAM的参与者或其家庭成员报告称，橄榄油（95.7%）、绿茶（89.1%）、百里香（85.3%）、桂皮（84.8%）、八角茴香（84.5%）和黑种草籽（78.4%）是最常用的CAM。参与者使用CAM治疗感冒（28.3%）、咳嗽（14%）、便秘（11.97%）、缓解经期不适（10.8%）、腹泻（9.87%）和发烧（8.62%）。约75%的参与者未观察到任何副作用。只有1%的参与者报告称CAM在治疗上无用，而大多数参与者报告称它们非常有用（32.7%）、有用（45.5%）和好（20.7%）。
当前研究表明，人们对CAM持积极态度和看法。这也受到其传统用途的影响。然而，开展社区宣传项目以了解CAM的不良反应至关重要。
