Health awareness and popularity of alternative medicines among people of Jamnagar town: A cross - sectional study

Practice, prescription habits, experience and perception of Indian homeopathic practitioners in treatment of diabetes mellitus: An online observational study

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown homoeopathy to effectively control blood sugar levels and improve quality of life (QOL), though a standard treatment protocol is required.

OBJECTIVE

This study intended to assess the homoeopathic practice, prescription habits, experience, and perception of Indian Homeopathic Practitioners (HPs) in treating DM.

METHODOLOGY

A web-based cross-sectional with a snowball sampling method was conducted between 30th July 2021 and 18th August 2021. A questionnaire to record clinical attributes of Indian HPs in the management of DM was formed after the consensus of the subject experts and pilot testing for feasibility.

RESULTS

Participants were 513 HPs with mean age [Standard Deviation (SD)] of 40.44 years (11.16) and a mean duration of the homoeopathic medical practice of 14.67 years [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 13.71-15.63]. The majority of HPs made classical homoeopathic prescription (201, 39.2%) though the success in the management of DM was better among HPs who prescribed more than one potentized medicine [vs classical prescription, Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.34, p = 0.032]. As perceived by the HPs, homoeopathic treatment resulted in a major improvement in QOL of the diabetic patients (418, 81.5%) with very few adverse effect (100, 19.5%). The blood sugar level was controlled better when homoeopathy was given alongside conventional medicine (348, 67.8%).

CONCLUSION

The clinical experience of HPs in this study has shown that homoeopathic treatment can benefit DM patients in preventing complications and improving QOL. It further reported that homoeopathy can be an important adjuvant to conventional treatment in managing DM.

Explanatory Models and their Relationship with Drug Attitude in Patients with Depression in South India

BACKGROUND

The patient's understanding of the illness may mediate beliefs towards its treatment. There is a paucity of studies examining the relationships between these variables in depression. This study was conducted to know the relationships between explanatory models and attitude to medication in depression.

METHODS

494 patients with depression in remission were assessed with sociodemographic proforma, Drug Attitude Inventory, and Mental Distress Explanatory Model Questionnaire.

RESULTS

A favorable attitude toward medication was observed in 57.49% of participants. Mean scores on MDEMQ subscales Stress, Western Physiology, Non-Western Physiology, and Supernatural were 32.96, 21.87, 10.06, and 47.55, respectively. Statistically significant associations were found between attitude towards medication and the patient's marital status (more negative attitude with single status, χ2 = 11.72, df = 3, P = 0.008) and occupation (more negative attitude among unemployed patients, χ² = 4.17, df = 1, P = 0.041). The scores of explanatory models did not differ based on positive or negative drug attitude.

CONCLUSION

Though explanatory models are not linked to patient attitudes toward medication, patients who are single or unemployed have a negative attitude toward medications. Such negative attitude may impair compliance and worsen patient outcomes.

Utilization, preference, perception and characteristics of people adopting traditional and AYUSH systems of medicine in India: a systematic review

Background Albeit Indian system of medicine has been practised since long however it has got recent prominence after some policy decisions made to make it more accessible to the people of India. Methods A two fold search strategy was adopted to obtain the literature; search through PUBMED and hand search through cross references. Of the 58 articles obtained through both the search approaches 13 articles were finally included in the review. Results The studies reviewed assessed the utilization, preference, perception and characteristics of people adopting traditional and AYUSH systems of medicine in India. Utilization was observed in a particular geographical area (states) and by a specific group of people such as tribal and general population, medical practitioners and religious groups. Perception about AYUSH system was mixed with different segments of the society. Preference among the general population revolved around distrust or frustration with allopathic medicine, cost effectiveness, accessibility, non-availability of other options and less side effects of AYUSH medicines. Moreover people primarily adopted AYUSH systems of medicine based on their personal experiences and recommended the same to other people as well. Conclusions A mixed response was observed through this systematic review with regard to utilization, preference, perception and characteristics of people adopting traditional and AYUSH systems of medicine in India. A higher level of awareness and governmental patronization is required to make it available to the common man at the last corner of the society for the benefit of the former and the system as well.

Polyherbal formulation: Concept of ayurveda

Ayurveda is one of the traditional medicinal systems of Indian. The philosophy behind Ayurveda is preventing unnecessary suffering and living a long healthy life. Ayurveda involves the use of natural elements to eliminate the root cause of the disease by restoring balance, at the same time create a healthy life-style to prevent the recurrence of imbalance. Herbal medicines have existed world-wide with long recorded history and they were used in ancient Chinese, Greek, Egyptian and Indian medicine for various therapies purposes. World Health Organization estimated that 80% of the word's inhabitants still rely mainly on traditional medicines for their health care. The subcontinent of India is well-known to be one of the major biodiversity centers with about 45,000 plant species. In India, about 15,000 medicinal plants have been recorded, in which the communities used 7,000-7,500 plants for curing different diseases. In Ayurveda, single or multiple herbs (polyherbal) are used for the treatment. The Ayurvedic literature Sarangdhar Samhita' highlighted the concept of polyherbalism to achieve greater therapeutic efficacy. The active phytochemical constituents of individual plants are insufficient to achieve the desirable therapeutic effects. When combining the multiple herbs in a particular ratio, it will give a better therapeutic effect and reduce the toxicity. This review mainly focuses on important of the polyherbalism and its clinical significance.