Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent genetic hemoglobinopathy with an estimated 300,000 babies born with the disease globally every year. Due to the chronic nature of the disease, there is a pressing need for safe, effective, and affordable therapeutic agents for SCD. In many...

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Main Authors: Martin Lubega, Dianah Mubiru Namayanja, Lillian Nuwabaine, Asia Nakitto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vesnu Publications 2023-10-01
Series:Chronic Diseases Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://cdjournal.muk.ac.ir/index.php/cdj/article/view/627
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author Martin Lubega
Dianah Mubiru Namayanja
Lillian Nuwabaine
Asia Nakitto
author_facet Martin Lubega
Dianah Mubiru Namayanja
Lillian Nuwabaine
Asia Nakitto
author_sort Martin Lubega
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent genetic hemoglobinopathy with an estimated 300,000 babies born with the disease globally every year. Due to the chronic nature of the disease, there is a pressing need for safe, effective, and affordable therapeutic agents for SCD. In many settings, use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been reported in the management of the disease. However, there is limited documentation about the use of CAM among patients with SCD in Uganda. Thus, this study was conducted with the aim to determine the prevalence of CAM use and the most commonly used CAM among patients with SCD at Mulago Sickle Cell Clinic (MSCC). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 3 months using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data from 293 participants who were recruited into the study using simple random sampling method at Mulago National Referral Hospital Sickle Cell Clinic, Uganda. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software to express univariate data as median, mean, mode, percentage, and frequency tables and graphs. RESULTS: CAM use was reported among 76.7% of the participants with the majority using more than on type of CAM. Biological products were the most commonly used form of CAM followed by spiritual healing; 74.6% of the CAM users used biological products, 25.2% used spiritual healing and prayer, while 0.6% used energy therapies. The most commonly used CAM include avocado leaves (50.9%), herbal concoctions (28.3%), beetroot (19.8%), prayer (18.8%), garlic (13.7%), and anointed water (12.6%). CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence of CAM use among patients with SCD.
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spelling doaj.art-4229b2c8340946e8ab242f2a6009ce7f2023-12-11T06:16:54ZengVesnu PublicationsChronic Diseases Journal2588-72972345-22262023-10-01104191198https://doi.org/10.22122/cdj.v11i4.627Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell diseaseMartin Lubega0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0222-840XDianah Mubiru Namayanja1Lillian Nuwabaine2Asia Nakitto3School of Nursing and Midwifery, Wakiso Comprehensive Institute of Health Sciences, Wakiso, UgandaSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Clarke International University, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan University, Kampala, UgandaSchool of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, UgandaBACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most prevalent genetic hemoglobinopathy with an estimated 300,000 babies born with the disease globally every year. Due to the chronic nature of the disease, there is a pressing need for safe, effective, and affordable therapeutic agents for SCD. In many settings, use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been reported in the management of the disease. However, there is limited documentation about the use of CAM among patients with SCD in Uganda. Thus, this study was conducted with the aim to determine the prevalence of CAM use and the most commonly used CAM among patients with SCD at Mulago Sickle Cell Clinic (MSCC). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 3 months using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data from 293 participants who were recruited into the study using simple random sampling method at Mulago National Referral Hospital Sickle Cell Clinic, Uganda. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software to express univariate data as median, mean, mode, percentage, and frequency tables and graphs. RESULTS: CAM use was reported among 76.7% of the participants with the majority using more than on type of CAM. Biological products were the most commonly used form of CAM followed by spiritual healing; 74.6% of the CAM users used biological products, 25.2% used spiritual healing and prayer, while 0.6% used energy therapies. The most commonly used CAM include avocado leaves (50.9%), herbal concoctions (28.3%), beetroot (19.8%), prayer (18.8%), garlic (13.7%), and anointed water (12.6%). CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence of CAM use among patients with SCD.http://cdjournal.muk.ac.ir/index.php/cdj/article/view/627complementary and alternative medicine
spellingShingle Martin Lubega
Dianah Mubiru Namayanja
Lillian Nuwabaine
Asia Nakitto
Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
Chronic Diseases Journal
complementary and alternative medicine
title Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
title_full Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
title_fullStr Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
title_full_unstemmed Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
title_short Use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
title_sort use of complementary and alternative medicine in the management of sickle cell disease
topic complementary and alternative medicine
url http://cdjournal.muk.ac.ir/index.php/cdj/article/view/627
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