Author:
Pengpid Supa,Peltzer Karl
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Lack of information exists about the use of traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) use among middle-aged and older adults in India, which led to studying the estimates of past-12-month Ayurveda/Yoga/Naturopathy/Unani/Siddha/Homeopathy (AYUSH) practitioner and traditional health practitioner (THP) utilization in India.
Methods
The study included 72,262 individuals (45 years and older) from the cross-sectional 2017–2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1.
Results
The prevalence of past 12-month AYUSH practitioner utilization was 6.5%, THP use 7.0%, and AYUSH or THP use 13.0%. The rate of AYUSH practitioner utilization was determined by older age (≥60 years) (Adjusted Odds Ratio-AOR: 1.20, 95% Confidence Interval-CI: 1.07–1.34), having pain (AOR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.29–1.69), any bone or joint diseases (AOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.35–1.82), current tobacco use (AOR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12–1.50), male sex (AOR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.68–0.85), high subjective socioeconomic status (AOR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60–0.87), urban residence (AOR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.57–0.88), diabetes (AOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.55–0.81), chronic heart disease (AOR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.37–0.73), and having a health insurance cover (AOR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.30–0.44). The rate of THP utilization was determined by depressive symptoms (AOR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01–1.35), sleep problems (AOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08–1.51), having pain (AOR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.55–2.15), current tobacco use (AOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.22–1.51), having health insurance cover (AOR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.33–0.51), hypertension (AOR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71–0.95), diabetes (AOR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.39–0.65), urban residence (AOR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.19–0.34), and high subjective socioeconomic status (AOR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.58–0.85).
Conclusion
A moderate prevalence of AYUSH practitioner and THP use among middle-aged and older adults in India was found and several factors associated with AYUSH practitioner and THP use were identified.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Complementary and alternative medicine
Reference51 articles.
1. Prasad LV. In: Roy CR, Muchatar RU, editors. Indian system of medicine and homoeopathy traditional medicine in Asia. New Delhi: WHO- Regional Office for South East Asia; 2002. p. 283–6.
2. Priya R, Shweta AS. Status and role of AYUSH and local health traditions under the National Rural Health Mission. New Delhi: National Health Systems Resource Centre; 2010.
3. Ravishankar B, Shukla VJ. Indian systems of medicine: a brief profile. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2007;4(3):319–37. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v4i3.31226.
4. Ministry of AYUSH. Ayurveda, treatment. URL: https://main.ayush.gov.in/about-the-systems/ayurveda/treatment (Accessed 5 Apr 2021).
5. Ministry of AYUSH, Definition of Yoga. URL: https://main.ayush.gov.in/about-the-systems/yoga/definition-yoga (Accessed 5 Apr 2021).