Herbal users ignore evidence-based indications

The Facts:
* Almost 20% of adults participating in the 2002 National Health Interview survey (NHIS) had used a herbal supplement in the previous year.
* Of these individuals, nearly 60% used a herbal supplement appropriately to treat a specific health indication.
* Women and college-educated individuals were more likely to use herbal supplements in accordance with scientific evidence.


Shaun’s comment: These are very interesting findings from the prestigious Mayo Clinic. Around 1/5 of adults had used a herbal treatment in the previous year. More interesting was the fact that lay people are surprisingly well educated with respect to which herbal treatments have evidence to support their use for specific conditions. Females were more likely to be taking herbal treatments in accordance with evidence-based indications.


Study reference:
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/Abstract.asp?AID=4359