FACTORS RELATED TO PRESCRIBING HERBAL MEDICINES LISTED IN NATIONAL LIST OF ESSENTIAL MEDICINES AMONG HOSPITAL-BASED PHYSICIANS IN PATHUMTHANI PROVINCE

Abstract

There has been promoting strategies to increase the usage of herbal medicines since 2007. Unfortunately, herbal medicines prescription rate has never reached expected target. This cross-sectional analytic study aimed to explore factors that related to prescribing herbal medicines listed in national list of essential medicines among hospital-based physicians currently practice in Pathumthani province. The online Self-answered questionnaire, consisting of  demographic data, knowledge about herbal medicines, attitude towards herbal medicine, product satisfaction, hospital system and obstacles of prescribing herbal medicines, were distributed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression analysis.

With a total of 105 respondents, the result revealed that most participants were aware that Ministry of public health of Thailand was expanding the list of herbal medicines in Thailand national list of essential medicines and used to prescribe herbal medicines in national list of essential medicines. A percentage of 75.23 of the participants had high level of knowledge about herbal medicines, while 71.43% had medium attitude towards herbal medicines. The influencing factors were history of self-use (odds ratio = 11.270, 95%CI = 2.838 - 44.752, p-value 0.001) and intention of prescribing herbal medicines (odds ratio = 5.397, 95%CI = 1.321 - 22.051, p-value 0.019). The major obstacles of prescribing herbal medicines in national list of essential medicines was lack of knowledge of herbal medicines administration and their medicinal properties.

The strategy to promote herbal medicines in the National Lists of Essential Medicines should include publicizing evidence-based herbal medicinal properties to modern practicing physicians.