Traditional and Complementary Medicine Use in HIV/AIDS Patients in Fasa City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Due to the increase in public interest in the use of traditional and complementary medicine in various diseases, it is necessary in order to adopt a suitable policy that  know the extent of people's use, the type of use and the characteristics of the people. We aimed to determine the frequency and pattern of complementary and alternative medicine use and the reason of use among patients suffering from HIV/AIDS in Fasa city.

This research is a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 96 patients with HIV/AIDS at the behavioral disease counseling center in Fasa city. The sample size was determined by census. Two questionnaires were used to collect data: a researcher-made questionnaire to examine the frequency of complementary and alternative medicine use and other questionnaire was the Quality of Life of the World Health Organization for people with HIV (WHOQOL-HIV). The data analysis for this study involved the use of descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, independent t-test, and logistic regression model.

Of 96 patients, 78.12% reported using traditional medicine. The most common used type were cupping and medicinal plants. Chamomile and thyme were the most popular herbs used. The most common reason for using chamomile was relaxation, and they often used thyme to increase the general health of the body.

It is necessary to implement appropriate policies and practical responses to increase traditional and complementary medicine use so these services are available safely, timely and with sufficient quality.