Factors Associated with Herbal Medicine Prescription Of Public Health Personnel in Sub - District Health Promoting Hospitals in Kalasin Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to examine the association between personal characteristics, herbal medicine literacy, and the management of medicines and non-drug medical supplies with herbal medicine prescribing among healthcare personnel in Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals in Kalasin Province. The study population consisted of healthcare personnel working in Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals in Kalasin Province. The sample size was calculated using a formula for analyzing relationships among variables, and stratified random sampling was applied, yielding a total of 300 participants. Data were collected using a questionnaire between November 15 and December 20, 2025. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis, with the level of statistical significance set at 0.05.

The results revealed that factors significantly associated with herbal medicine prescribing among healthcare personnel included being a Thai traditional medicine practitioner (OR_adj = 3.65, 95% CI: 1.10-12.08, p-value = 0.034), receiving training on herbal medicine prescribing (OR_adj = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.03-3.24, p-value = 0.039), having adequate to excellent herbal medicine literacy in terms of evaluation of herbal medicine use   (OR_adj = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03-1.54, p-value = 0.023), and having a high level of competence in inspection and reporting within the management of medicines and non-drug medical supplies (OR_adj = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.09-2.06, p-value = 0.011). Therefore, administrators should establish clear policies to promote the use of herbal medicines at the primary care level. alongside continuous capacity building for healthcare personnel across all professional groups, and strengthening monitoring systems for medicine management to enhance safety standards in the sustainable use of herbal medicines.