Epidemiology of herbal drugs use in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: To study the utilization patterns of herbal drug use in urban Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia, using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to 600 heads of households, largely mothers, selected using a multi-stage systematic random sampling technique, where the final sampling units were households. RESULTS: The prevalence of herbal drugs use was found to be 37%. The main reasons given for choosing herbal medicine as the first line medication option were: dissatisfaction with the services of modern health institutions due to their time consuming nature, cost considerations and perceived efficacy. CONCLUSION: This study showed that in spite of the geographic accessibility of modern health institutions in urban areas, the use of traditional medicine, particularly herbal drugs, remains a major form of health care option. Hence health planners should give appropriate consideration to this sector.