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Chinese Herb Use by Patients at a San Francisco Chinatown Public Health Center
Oliver Hsu1, Candy Tsourounis2, Lenny Lok Shun Chan3
11 Santa Clara Valley Medical Center , San Jose, CA.
Objectives:
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) use has not been well characterized in persons living in the United States who receive care by Western-trained healthcare providers. The primary objective of this study was to characterize use of CHM taken in the last 12 months by patients seen at a Chinatown public health center.
Design:
Convenience sample survey.
Setting:
Data collection occurred over 3 months at a San Francisco Chinatown public health center.
Participants:
Adult patients visiting their primary care provider.
Interventions:
Completion of a voluntary 24-question survey on CHM use.
Outcome Measures:
Prevalence, type, and indications for use.
Results:
Survey response rate was 29% (50/170). Seventy percent (35/50) of respondents had used CHM in the last 12 months and 94% (33/35) were also taking prescription medicines. The three most commonly used CHM were goji berry (37%), Dioscorea (31%), and ginseng (23%). The most common indications for herbs used in the last 12 months were general wellness (34%), cold/flu (25%), and headache (6%). Sixty-four percent of respondents had used Western medicine in combination with CHM within the last 12 months. Sixty-nine percent of respondents who used CHM did not tell their Western provider about this use. No patient had CHM use documented in the electronic medical record.
Conclusions:
Patients seen at a Chinatown public health center frequently used CHM products in conjunction with Western prescription medicines. Providers should routinely enquire about CHM use for health as a soup, tea, food, or pill and document this use in the medical record.