Positive Health Online

Abstract

YU and colleagues, Office of Data and Information Management, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, USA, have surveyed the use of herbal supplements amongst women in the USA.

Background

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of herbal supplement use and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and health behaviour in a representative sample of American women.

Methodology

The cancer supplement file of the 2000 National Health Interview Survey was examined. IT included 11,888 non-Hispanic white, 1866 non-Hispanic black, 3035 Hispanic and 599 other women. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to establish the relationships between sociodemographic, health status, and health behaviour characteristics and the use of any herbal supplement, particularly Echinacea, Gingko biloba, ginseng, or St John's wort.

Results

Nearly 1/6 of US women took at least one herbal supplement in 2000. Women who were non-Hispanic white, between 35 and 64 years of age, more educated, not poor, drank alcohol, lived in the South and West, and who had functional limitations and chronic conditions were significantly more likely to use herbal supplements.

Conclusion

The study reports high prevalence of herbal supplement use among women. There may be a need for public health guidance on the safe and efficacious use of these products.

References

Yu SM, Ghandour RM, Huang ZJ. Herbal supplement use among US women, 2000. Journal of the American Medical Women's Association 59 (1): 17-24, Winter 2004.