Frequency and determinants of phytotherapy use in patients with type 2 diabetes in the Dschang Health District, Cameroon: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: phytotherapy is widely used in Africa for the management of many diseases. Data on the use of phytotherapy in people with type 2 diabetes are scarce. We aimed to determine the frequency and factors associated with the consumption/use of phytotherapy products among patients with type 2 diabetes in the Dschang Health District. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study from January to May 2022, including community-dwelling or hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes who had lived in the Dschang Health District for at least one year. Informed consent was obtained from all patients. Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire. Variables collected included socio-demographic characteristics, diabetes knowledge and practices, and perceptions of care. Results: we included 403 (249 women) patients with type 2 diabetes with a mean (SD) age of 63 (± 14.86) years). Among them, 240 (59.55%) used phytotherapy, either in combination with conventional treatment (168 (41.69%) participants) or not (72 (17.86%) participants), to treat diabetes. The most common reasons for using phytotherapy were easy accessibility and belief in its efficacy. Most patients used both treatments because they thought the combination was more effective. In univariable analysis, we observed a statistically significant association between level of education (p=0.003), socioeconomic level (p<0.001), place of residence (p=0.003), duration of diabetes (p=0.007), and use of phytotherapy. In multivariable analysis, only age between 51 and 60 years (OR: 0.50, 95% CI 0.298 - 0.8521; p=0.01) was associated with the use of phytotherapy. Conclusion: people living with T2D in the Dschang Health District frequently use phytotherapy as an antidiabetic remedy, especially those aged between 51 and 60 years, those with low education level, low socioeconomic level and medium duration of diabetes. There is a need to evaluate its effectiveness in treating diabetes and its adverse effects.