HERBAL MEDICINE: AN ASSOCIATE OF POOR HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG HEPATITIS C PATIENTS

Abstract

The current study aimed at finding the association of Health-Related Quality of Life among Hepatitis C patients (dependent variable) with use of herbal medicine to cure Hepatitis C (independent variable). The study was conducted in three teaching Hospitals at Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A sample size of 361 respondents were proportionally allocated to each Hospital and then selected through systematic sampling techniques. Data was collected on a three level Likert Scale interview schedule covering both the study variables. The association of independent variable (use of herbal medicine to cure disease) and dependent variable (Health-Related Quality of Life) were tested by using Chi-Square (x2) statistics. The association of Health-Related Quality of Life found significant (P=0.007) with Hepatitis C patient did seek treatment from traditional practitioner ever before, patients have used herbal medicine to cure HCV (P=0.002), herbal medicines are inexpensiveness (P=0.002), patients were not accessed due to their geographical remoteness (P=0.002),patients were convinced by family (P=0.000),patients believe in herbal medicines (P=0.005) and patients exposed truth to physician regarding the use of herbal medicine to cure Hepatitis C (P=0.005). Strong check on herbal medicine stores and laboratories by the drug inspector were some of the recommendations in light of the study.