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Table 2 Patterns of herbal compared to conventional medicinal product use

From: Use of herbal medicinal products among children and adolescents in Germany

 

Herbal medicinal products

Conventional medicinal products

P*

 

n

%

95% CIs

n

%

95% CIs

Total number of drugs

1,152

100

-

10,433

100

-

Origin

Prescribed by doctors

510

44.5

41.65-47.39

7012

67.7

66.8-68.6

.000

Bought OTC

425

37.1

34.34-39.92

2077

20.1

19.3-20.8

 

Obtained from other sources

211

18.4

16.28-20.77

1264

12.2

11.6-12.9

 

Missing

6

  

80

   

Duration of use

<1 week

882

77.0

74.4-79.3

5114

49.8

48.8-50.8

.000

1-4 weeks

221

19.3

17.1-21.7

1409

13.7

13.1-14.4

 

1-12 months

25

2.2

1.5-3.2

2022

19.7

18.9-20.5

 

1 year or longer

18

1.6

1.0-2.5

1724

16.8

16.1-17.5

 

Missing

6

  

164

   

Self-rated improvement of conditions treated

Greatly

505

46.8

43.9-49.8

3841

55.9

54.7-57.0

.000

Partly

457

42.4

39.5-45.4

2426

35.3

34.1-36.4

 

Not much

80

7.4

6.0-9.2

427

6.2

5.7-6.8

 

Not at all

36

3.3

2.4-4.6

181

2.6

2.3-3.0

 

Doesn’t apply**

39

  

3199

   

Missing

35

  

359

   

Tolerance of drug use

Very good/good

1,130

98.9

98.1-99.4

10182

98.4

98.2-98.6

.163

Partly/not tolerated

12

1.1

0.6-1.9

164

1.6

1.4-1.8

 

Missing

10

  

87

   
  1. *P-value: chi-square test for differences in proportions between herbal and conventional medicinal products.
  2. **Drugs were used e. g. as a preventive measure, for contraception, or diagnosis was unknown.
  3. Data source: German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) 2003–2006.