Traditional Medicine Practice and Its Role in the Management of Malaria in Jimma Town, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Traditional medicines have been used to treat malaria for thousands of years and are the source of the two main groups (artemisinin and quinine derivatives) of modern anti-malarial drugs.

Objective

To assess the preference, practice, and factors associated with the practice of traditional medicine for malaria management.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 403 residents of Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia. The data were collected by interviewing selected households. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the households. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, and descriptive statistics were used for describing and summarizing the data. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with the practice of traditional medicine. The medicinal plants were tabulated in excel 2010 with their parts used, route of administration and side effects reported. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) was calculated, and the commonly used traditional medicines were reported.

Results

More than half (64.1%) of the participants practiced traditional medicine. Age [AOR (95% CI) = 1.04 (1.01, 1.07)], family size [AOR (95% CI) = 1.78(1.42, 2.23)] and not having information on traditional medicine use for malaria [AOR (95% CI) = 0.95 (0.03, 0.31)] were factors associated with the practice of traditional medicine. However, only 10.6% of the participants preferred to use traditional medicine. Lepidium sativum (RFC= 0.016), Allium sativum (RFC= 0.014), and Zingiber officinale (RFC= 0.012) were the commonly used herbal products.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Even though the preference to use traditional medicine was low, the community practiced traditional medicine for malaria management. Age, family size and information about traditional medicine use for malaria management were associated with the practice of traditional medicine. Lepidium sativum, Sativum allium and Zingiber officinale were the commonly used traditional medicines. The stakeholders are advised to act accordingly.

Keywords:

• traditional medicine
• malaria
• complementary and alternative medicine
• Jimma
• preference
• herbal medicine

Abbreviations

AOR, adjusted odd ratio; CI, confidence interval; COR, crude odd ratio; CSA, Central Statistical Agency; RFC, relative frequency of citation; SD, standard deviation; TM, traditional medicine; WHO, World Health Organization.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical Statement

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki, and permission letter was obtained from Jimma University School of Pharmacy with reference number Phar 697/2011. Additionally, permission letter was also obtained from Jimma town Administration office. Verbal informed consent was obtained from the participants after the purpose and methods of the study had been explained. Since the participants were only asked to describe traditional medicine practice they know, we used verbal informed consent.

Disclosure

The authors disclosed that they have no conflicts of interest for this work.