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Table 2 Epidemiology and characteristics of traditional medicine use stratified by diabetes and diabetes risk status; CKD-AFRIKA

From: Traditional medicine practices among community members with diabetes mellitus in Northern Tanzania: an ethnomedical survey

 

Diabetes Absent; n = 436 (95 % CI)

With Diabetes; n = 45 (%, 95 % CI)

Low risk (n = 352)

Increased risk (n = 84)

Prevalence

 …of TM Use

60.3 % (48.9–70.7)

56.7 % (43.4–69.2)

77.1 % (58.5–89.0)

 …of concurrent TM and Biomedicine Use

4.9 % (2.7–8.9)

2.6 % (0.8–7.6)

37.6 % (20.5–58.4)

Incidence of TM Use (per year)

 1–5 times

47.2 % (38.8–55.7)

32.0 % (19.9–47.1)

45.3 % (27.8–64.0)

 6–10 times

7.7 % (4.6–12.6)

17.0 % (7.8–33.0)

5.2 % (1.5–16.1)

>10 times

5.4 % (3.1–9.4)

7.1 % (2.6–18.0)

26.7 % (10.2–53.8)

Reasons for TM Use

 More Effective

83.3 % (74.6–89.4)

81.4 % (62.8–91.9)

79.6 % (40.4–95.7)

 Lower Cost

60.1 % (48.2–70.9)

64.5 % (46.4–79.3)

55.2 % (32.2–76.2)

 Easier to Access

69.9 % (61.0–77.6)

61.6 % (45.0–75.8)

59.1 % (30.7–82.5)

 Safer

43.4 % (31.6–56.1)

39.1 % (25.8–54.2)

39.5 % (20.4–62.5)

 More Traditional/Religious

30.4 % (23.4–38.4)

29.7 % (18.0–44.8)

42.0 % (24.1–62.3)

Modes of Healthcare Access

 Medical Doctors

97.3 % (93.4–98.9)

97.2 % (85.3–99.5)

90.5 % (58.6–98.5)

 Family and Elders

50.7 % (38.0–63.4)

55.4 % (34.4–74.6)

69.0 % (42.8–86.9)

 Traditional Healers

5.6 % (2.7–11.0)

9.9 % (3.0–28.2)

22.9 % (8.2–49.7)

 Pharmacists

19.9 % (11.9–31.3)

22.0 % (10.5–40.5)

10.6 % (3.9–25.5)

 Herbal Vendors

3.9 % (1.1–12.2)

11.4 % (5.7–21.5)

5.1 % (1.5–16.1)

 Friends/Neighbors

17.5 % (10.4–27.8)

16.7 % (9.7–27.4)

5.2 % (1.7–15.3)

TM Use

 …for Symptomatic Ailments

57.3 % (49.2–65.0)

45.1 % (28.8–62.6)

79.1 % (60.8–90.2)

 …for Chronic Diseases

27.7 % (19.1–38.0)

24.5 % (12.9–41.5)

57.0 % (29.4–80.9)

 …for Reproductive/Fertility Ailments

22.8 % (14.6–33.9)

19.7 % (8.8–38.5)

49.5 % (28.2–70.9)

 …for Malaria/Febrile Illnesses

56.7 % (43.1–69.4)

70.9 % (58.2–80.9)

59.2 % (28.7–84.0)

 …for Spiritual/traditional uses

8.6 % (4.5–15.7)

7.0 % (2.2–20.2)

9.4 % (3.5–22.8)

 …for Neurologic Illnesses

19.5 % (11.3–31.4)

19.6 % (10.2–34.5)

38.2 % (18.9–62.2)

 …for Urogenital Conditions

15.7 % (9.8–24.4)

16.7 % (8.2–31.0)

26.0 % (10.6–51.1)

 …for Cancers

14.7 % (6.6–29.7)

9.0 % (3.0–23.8)

22.9 % (8.0–50.6)

 …for Disease Prevention

5.9 % (3.3–10.3)

0.7 % (0.1–5.8)

11.4 % (3.0–34.9)

 …for Worms/Parasites

11.1 % (6.9–17.4)

15.9 % (9.3–25.9)

22.0 % (8.7–45.7)

Modes of TM Use

 Mix with water

83.0 % (77.4–87.4)

85.7 % (75.2–92.3)

79.8 % (54.6–92.9)

 Drink as a tea

61.1 % (52.7–68.9)

47.5 % (31.0–64.5)

62.7 % (35.0–83.9)

 Drink as a soup

46.1 % (36.6–55.8)

35.2 % (25.5–46.4)

65.5 % (38.3–85.3)

 Chew from the plant

57.5 % (46.4–67.9)

47.3 % (31.9–63.3)

58.3 % (41.6–73.3)

 Drink with milk

22.8 % (15.7–31.9)

15.7 % (7.5–30.0)

39.2 % (19.2–63.6)

 Bath

26.2 % (17.7–37.0)

30.3 % (20.7–42.0)

45.0 % (19.3–73.8)

 Inhalation

33.9 % (26.5–42.1)

39.2 % (26.8–53.1)

42.5 % (24.0–63.3)

 Powders

17.4 % (9.7–29.2)

22.9 % (11.8–39.7)

25.3 % (9.9–51.0)

 As foods to be eaten

2.4 % (0.8–6.8)

7.7 % (2.0–25.5)

4.2 % (1.1–14.9)

 Pill/Vitamin form

0.6 % (0.2–1.7)

1.4 % (0.3–6.7)

2.4 % (0.4–13.0)

 Lotions/Creams

5.3 % (2.9–9.5)

5.8 % (2.1–15.1)

21.0 % (5.9–53.2)

  1. Chronic Diseases: Hypertension, Heart problems, Diabetes, or Body Swelling
  2. Reproductive/Fertility Ailments: Sexual Arousal/Virility, Menstrual Problems, Pregnancy Termination, or Fertility/Impotence
  3. Neurologic illnesses: Epilepsy, Mental Confusion, or Depression
  4. Spiritual/Traditional: Peace of mind/Ward off curses, Protection from ‘evil eyes’, Unexplained Illnesses, or ‘To Improve Luck’
  5. Symptomatic Ailments: Increase Strength, Constipation, Increase energy, Digestion/Stomach problems, Fatigue, Arthritis/joint pains, Flu/Cold symptoms, Headaches, or Skin problems
  6. Urogenital: Kidney problems or Urinary problems