Association of traditional complementary and alternate medicine usage with quality of life of diabetic patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 26 June 2021
Issue publication date: 3 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to design to assess the traditional, complementary and alternate medicine (TCAM) usage and its association with the quality of life (QOL) of Type 2 diabetic patients in a tertiary hospital (Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia) in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 300 respondents included in this study were divided into the following two major categories: TCAM (34.33% of respondents) and non-TCAM users (65.67% of the respondents), respectively. The mean ages of the respondents were 59.3 ± 10.2 for the TCAM users and 57.7 ± 12.0 for the non-TCAM users.
Findings
A greater percentage of non-TCAM users reported poor control of diabetes (14.7%) and blood glucose (55.8%) compared with the TCAM users (9.7% and 48.5%, respectively). Further, the diabetic patients on TCAM reported lower rates of coma, stroke and kidney problems but higher rates of diabetic foot ulcers, heart diseases and retinopathy than the non-TCAM users. Additionally, the diabetic patients with TCAM usage had a significantly better physical (p = 0.02) and overall (p = 0.03) qualities of life compared to the non-TCAM users. However, psychological, social and environmental health did not show any significant difference.
Originality/value
The prevalence of TCAM usage among diabetic patients was lower than in other comparable studies. Diabetic patients on TCAM reported lower rates of coma, stroke and kidney problems but higher rates of diabetic foot ulcers, heart diseases and retinopathy than the non-TCAM users. Further, diabetes patients on TCAM reported better QOL compared to non-TCAM users especially in terms of physical health.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Authors would like to acknowledge the diabetic clinic of HUSM for allowing us to have their research in its clinic. Most importantly, authors want to thank all the respondents who patiently and cooperatively assisted them in taking up our questionnaires.
Citation
Eleazu, C.O., Aziz, A.A., Suen, T.C., Chun-Hau, L., Elynn, C., Hen, C.Y., Khor Ee, I.H., Ren, L.L., Hashim, S. and Mohamed, M. (2022), "Association of traditional complementary and alternate medicine usage with quality of life of diabetic patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 52 No. 1, pp. 106-118. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-03-2021-0104
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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