Why Urban Citizens in Developing Countries Use Traditional Medicines: The Case of Suriname
Table 2
Knowledge, opinion, and practice regarding TMs among the 270 respondents.
Variables and classes
(%)
Use of TMs in the last 12 months (%)
Uses medicinal herbs (sometimes)
231 (86)
Used herbs the last 12 months
177 (66)
Used herbs for health promotion
147 (54)
Used herbs for disease prevention
94 (34)
Used herbs as cure for illness
98 (36)
Knowledge of herbs*
None
12 (4.4)
2 (8.3)
1–3 plant species
94 (35)
48 (51)
>3 plant species
164 (61)
127 (77)
Received information on herbs
None
76 (28)
34 (45)
From family
150 (56)
116 (77)
From friends, colleagues, neighbors
32 (12)
20 (63)
From books
3 (1)
2 (67)
Illness last 12 months
Yes
174 (64)
127 (73)
No
96 (36)
50 (52)
Duration of illness ()
Acute
118 (68)
86 (73)
Chronic
58 (33)
43 (74)
Type of illness ()
Cold, influenza, cough
76 (44)
54 (71)
Fever
20 (11)
14 (70)
Hypertension
17 (10)
14 (82)
Arthritis, rheuma, joint pains, hernia
17 (10)
6 (35)
Headache, migraine
15 (9)
11 (73)
Stomach/intestinal problems
16 (9)
10 (63)
Diabetes
14 (8)
9 (64)
Skin problems, wounds, rash
9 (5)
3 (33)
Menstruation, uterus problems
6 (3)
6 (100)
Mental and spiritual health
6 (3)
4 (67)
Injuries, fractures
5 (3)
4 (80)
Urinary tract problems (incl. STDs)
5 (3)
4 (80)
Other
35 (20)
24 (69)
Action patient ()
Doctor
116 (81)
75 (65)
Herbal medicine
76 (44)
76 (44)
Prescription medicine
52 (30)
38 (73)
Herbs + prescription medicine
38 (22)
38 (100)
Religious activities
18 (7)
12 (67)
Traditional healer
5 (3)
5 (100)
Other (diet, rest, nothing)
27 (16)
11 (41)
Sends plants to The Netherlands
Never
199 (74)
121 (61)
Sometimes
59 (22)
44 (75)
Regularly
12 (4)
12 (100)
Sources of herbs ()
Own garden or surroundings
117 (51)
90 (77)
Family, friends
65 (28)
58 (89)
Market, shop
55 (24)
44 (80)
Interior of Suriname
30 (13)
26 (87)
Traditional healer
9 (4)
6 (67)
Motives for medicinal plant use ()
Accustomed to using herbs
92 (40)
76 (83)
Plants work better than pills
71 (31)
54 (76)
Herbs are safe
51 (22)
39 (76)
Less side effects
52 (23)
42 (81)
Doctor or pills cannot cure my illness
33 (14)
17 (52)
Other (e.g., cheaper, easy access)
27 (12)
20 (74)
Knows traditional healer
No
178 (66)
111 (62)
Yes
92 (34)
66 (72)
Quality of traditional healers
Good
125 (46)
86 (69)
Depends on healer and illness
108 (40)
73 (68)
Bad
18 (7)
9 (50)
Attitude of traditional healer towards patients
Good
139 (51)
92 (66)
Depends on person
66 (24)
50 (76)
Bad
2 (1)
8 (61)
Quality of conventional health care
Good
167 (62)
108 (65)
Depends on doctor and illness
88 (33)
64 (73)
Bad
9 (3)
3 (33)
Attitude of health personnel towards patients
Good
93 (34)
68 (73)
Depends on doctor or nurse
144 (53)
89 (62)
Bad
30 (11)
18 (60)
Opinion of doctors on traditional medicine
Both healers and herbs accepted
83 (31)
60 (72)
None accepted
73 (27)
43 (59)
Depends on doctor
31 (11)
23 (74)
Herbs accepted, (some) healers not
27 (10)
21 (78)
Does not know doctor's opinion
56 (21)
30 (54)
Opinion of religion on traditional medicine
Both healers and herbs accepted
95 (35)
69 (73)
Herbs accepted, (some) healers not
70 (26)
46 (66)
Does not know
66 (24)
40 (61)
None accepted
35 (13)
19 (54)
Depends on type of healer and priest
11 (4)
3 (75)
Opinion of government on traditional medicine
Both healers and herbs accepted
108 (40)
76 (70)
Forbidden by law
31 (11)
21 (68)
Depends on healer and politician
3 (1)
3 (100)
Herbs accepted, (some) healers not
7 (3)
7 (6)
Is not aware of govt. opinion
116 (43)
70 (60)
As most traditional medicines consist of medicinal plants, the term “herbs” is used here.
**More answers were possible so sum of percentages may be over 100%. Variable not included in the multivariate analysis.
