Factors Predicting Behaviors on Using Herbal Medicines to Relieve Musculoskeletal Disorders Pain among the Elderly in Nong Chang District, Uthai Thani Province

Abstract

Introduction and objective: The important health problems of older persons are musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), including pain, which is commonly treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, whose side effect is acute kidney failure with a rising trend. Therefore, they should be encouraged to use herbal medicines or drugs instead to reduce side effects and treatment costs. This predictive research aimed to explore behaviors on using herbal drugs and the factors predicting behaviors on using herbal drugs to relieve MSD pain among elderly persons in Nong Chang district, Uthai Thani province.

Methods: Predictive research design was used in this study. The study involved a sample of 396 older persons with MSD pain, selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire and then analyzed with descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression analysis.

Results: Among the elderly respondents, their attitudes towards herbal drugs, perceived susceptibility of MSD pain, perceived severity of pain, perceived herbal drug benefits, perceived barriers to herbal drug use and having a role model with herbal drug use were at a high level, while the knowledge about herbal drugs, cues to herbal drug use, receipt of herbal drug information and receipt of health personnel’s advice were at a moderate level, and behaviors related to herbal drug use were at a low level. The factors predicting the behaviors on herbal drug use to relieve MSD pain the most were perceived MSD pain severity (β=0.345), followed by herbal drug use experiences (β=0.300), perceived herbal drug benefits (β=0.298), receipt of herbal drug information (β=0.122), having a role model in herbal drug use (β=0.108), underlining medical conditions (β=-0.076), income sufficiency (β=-0.091), perceived MSD pain susceptibility (β=-0.101), and perceived herbal drug use barriers (β=-0.249). These nine factors could 54.7% collectively and significantly predict the behaviors on herbal drug use for relieving MSD pain (P = 0.05).

Discussion: Elderly people’s behaviors on herbal drug use were at a low level probably due to the lack of perception and information about herbal drugs, and the lack of herbal drug use experiences.

Conclusion and recommendation: Based on the study results, community hospitals and subdistrict or tambon health promoting hospitals should accord importance to raising the perceived herbal drug benefits, perceived barriers to herbal drug use, perceived susceptibility and severity of MSD pain, and receipt of herbal drug information, as well as proactive working approach in the community to increase access to herbal drugs for the elderly.