TY - JOUR
T1 - Cost of Traditional Herbal Medicines for Noncommunicable Diseases in Rural and Urban Communities in South Africa
AU - Hughes, Gail Denise
AU - Aboyade, Oluwaseyi Mayode
AU - Okonji, Osaretin Christabel
AU - Clark, Bobby
AU - Bawa, Walter Agbor
AU - Xavier, Christy
AU - Rasu, Rafia S.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding/Support: This research was supported by grants from National Research Foundation of South Africa.
Funding Information:
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Hughes reported receiving payment made to her research account through the National Research Foundation of South Africa and reported receiving a grant from the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa, paid to her research account. No other disclosures were reported.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 ISPOR–The professional society for health economics and outcomes research
PY - 2022/5
Y1 - 2022/5
N2 - Objectives: This study assessed traditional herbal medicine (THM) and conventional medicine (CM) utilization among participants with noncommunicable disease in South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological study collected data through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires in 2014. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the effect of sociodemographic and economic factors on THM and CM use. All statistical analyses were conducted using the statistical computing and graphics language “R.” Results: Of the total 417 randomly selected participants in this study, 85% were females, 95% with no health insurance, and 81% with monthly incomes of <2000 rand (R) ($137 equivalent) per month. Moreover, 73% spend <R100 per month (6.85 US dollar conversion) on THM compared with 46% of families spending <R100 on CM last year; 7% spent >5% of their income on THM, and 10% say they are willing to pay >R500 per year on THM to feel better. Age was significantly associated with different spending patterns after controlling for other demographic factors, given that older adults were 82% (odds ratio 0.18; 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.93) less likely to pay >R100 for THM whereas younger adults were 59% (odds ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.17-0.97) less likely to pay for CM. Conclusions: The cost of using THM and CM largely differed by age. The economic insight into this study reveals individuals more willing to pay for THM to payors, which can ultimately clue payors into areas for medication optimization from potential drug-drug interactions and adverse events and, therefore, reduce healthcare costs.
AB - Objectives: This study assessed traditional herbal medicine (THM) and conventional medicine (CM) utilization among participants with noncommunicable disease in South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological study collected data through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires in 2014. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the effect of sociodemographic and economic factors on THM and CM use. All statistical analyses were conducted using the statistical computing and graphics language “R.” Results: Of the total 417 randomly selected participants in this study, 85% were females, 95% with no health insurance, and 81% with monthly incomes of <2000 rand (R) ($137 equivalent) per month. Moreover, 73% spend <R100 per month (6.85 US dollar conversion) on THM compared with 46% of families spending <R100 on CM last year; 7% spent >5% of their income on THM, and 10% say they are willing to pay >R500 per year on THM to feel better. Age was significantly associated with different spending patterns after controlling for other demographic factors, given that older adults were 82% (odds ratio 0.18; 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.93) less likely to pay >R100 for THM whereas younger adults were 59% (odds ratio 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.17-0.97) less likely to pay for CM. Conclusions: The cost of using THM and CM largely differed by age. The economic insight into this study reveals individuals more willing to pay for THM to payors, which can ultimately clue payors into areas for medication optimization from potential drug-drug interactions and adverse events and, therefore, reduce healthcare costs.
KW - South Africa
KW - Sub-Saharan Africa
KW - complementary and alternative medicine
KW - cost analysis
KW - economic evaluation
KW - integrative medicine
KW - noncommunicable diseases
KW - willingness to pay
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119918244&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.vhri.2021.08.006
DO - 10.1016/j.vhri.2021.08.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 34839077
AN - SCOPUS:85119918244
SN - 2212-1099
VL - 29
SP - 66
EP - 75
JO - Value in Health Regional Issues
JF - Value in Health Regional Issues
ER -