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Use of Traditional Herbal Medicine by AIDS Patients in Kabarole District, Western Uganda

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the use of traditional herbal medicine by AIDS patients in Kabarole District, western Uganda. Using systematic sampling, 137 AIDS patients were selected from outpatient departments of 3 hospitals and interviewed via questionnaire. The questions related to such areas as type and frequency of herbal medicine intake, concomitant herb–pharmaceutical drug use (including herb–antiretroviral drug cotherapy), and the perceived effectiveness of herbal medicine. Overall, 63.5% of AIDS patients had used herbal medicine after HIV diagnosis. Same-day herbal medicine and pharmaceutical drugs use was reported by 32.8% of AIDS patients. Patterns of traditional herbal medicine use were quite similar between those on antiretroviral therapy and those who received supportive therapy only. The primary conclusion is that AIDS outpatients commonly use herbal medicine for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Pharmacological interactions between antiretroviral drugs and traditional herbal medicines need to be further examined.

Received February 22, 2007. Accepted for publication June 19, 2007.

Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge the excellent cooperation with the staff of the Basic Health Services Project (GTZ), Fort Portal, Uganda, as well as the staff at the AIDS clinics.

Financial support: This study was supported by the Fund for Support of International Development Activities (FSIDA) at the University of Alberta and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (grant no. 21139).

^* Address correspondence to Walter Kipp, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 13-103 Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2G3. E-mail: walter.kipp{at}ualberta.ca

Authors’ addresses: Deanne Langlois-Klassen, Walter Kipp, and Gian S. Jhangri, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 13-103 Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G3, Canada, Telephone: +1 780 492 8643, Fax: +1 780 492 0364, E-mail: walter.kipp{at}ualberta.ca. Tom Rubaale, Team Leader, Basic Health Services Project, Western Uganda (GTZ), P.O. Box 27, Fort Portal, Uganda, Telephone: +256 772 856 865, E-mail: communitybased{at}bushnet.com.

Reprint requests: Walter Kipp, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, 13-103 Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G3, Canada, Telephone: +1 780 492 8643, Fax: +1 (780) 492 0364, E-mail: walter.kipp{at}ualberta.ca.