Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus

BackgroundThe effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating diabetes has been confirmed in China and globally. However, research on the use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) among middle-aged and elderly patients with diabetes and its associated factors is limited. This study aims t...

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Main Authors: Yanting Chen, Leying Lin, Shanwei Sun, Kaiwang Cui, Qingrong Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1482228/full
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author Yanting Chen
Leying Lin
Shanwei Sun
Kaiwang Cui
Qingrong Wu
author_facet Yanting Chen
Leying Lin
Shanwei Sun
Kaiwang Cui
Qingrong Wu
author_sort Yanting Chen
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating diabetes has been confirmed in China and globally. However, research on the use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) among middle-aged and elderly patients with diabetes and its associated factors is limited. This study aims to explore the prevalence of CHM use among these patients and its associated factors.MethodsThis study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which covers Chinese adults aged ≥45 years. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 3,347 participants who used CHM for diabetes treatment. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify key factors (including demographic characteristics, health status, and healthcare utilization) that predict CHM use among patients with diabetes.ResultsThe prevalence of CHM use for diabetes was 10.8% among middle-aged and older Chinese patients with diabetes. Compared to patients with diabetes who did not use CHM, those who did were more likely to be older (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.65), visit TCM hospitals (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.01, 1.53), engage in self-treatment (OR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.38, 2.61), have kidney disease (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.05, 2.14), and have asthma (OR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.29, 3.70). In the combined effect analysis, patients with both kidney disease and asthma were most likely to use CHM (OR = 4.20; 95% CI = 1.93, 9.14).ConclusionThe prevalence of CHM use among middle-aged and elderly Chinese patients with diabetes was relatively low, and was associated with specific health conditions and healthcare behaviors.
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spelling doaj-art-eda0591c78dc47f8b8b590ce2dcff5862025-08-20T02:25:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-05-011610.3389/fphar.2025.14822281482228Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitusYanting Chen0Leying Lin1Shanwei Sun2Kaiwang Cui3Qingrong Wu4Rheumatology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaSchool of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, ChinaRheumatology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Ganzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Ganzhou Fifth People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy, Ganzhou Fifth People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, ChinaBackgroundThe effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating diabetes has been confirmed in China and globally. However, research on the use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) among middle-aged and elderly patients with diabetes and its associated factors is limited. This study aims to explore the prevalence of CHM use among these patients and its associated factors.MethodsThis study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which covers Chinese adults aged ≥45 years. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 3,347 participants who used CHM for diabetes treatment. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify key factors (including demographic characteristics, health status, and healthcare utilization) that predict CHM use among patients with diabetes.ResultsThe prevalence of CHM use for diabetes was 10.8% among middle-aged and older Chinese patients with diabetes. Compared to patients with diabetes who did not use CHM, those who did were more likely to be older (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.65), visit TCM hospitals (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.01, 1.53), engage in self-treatment (OR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.38, 2.61), have kidney disease (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.05, 2.14), and have asthma (OR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.29, 3.70). In the combined effect analysis, patients with both kidney disease and asthma were most likely to use CHM (OR = 4.20; 95% CI = 1.93, 9.14).ConclusionThe prevalence of CHM use among middle-aged and elderly Chinese patients with diabetes was relatively low, and was associated with specific health conditions and healthcare behaviors.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1482228/fullcomplementary and alternative medicineChinese herbal medicinediabetesprevalenceassociated factors
spellingShingle Yanting Chen
Leying Lin
Shanwei Sun
Kaiwang Cui
Qingrong Wu
Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
Frontiers in Pharmacology
complementary and alternative medicine
Chinese herbal medicine
diabetes
prevalence
associated factors
title Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
title_full Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
title_fullStr Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
title_short Prevalence and factors associated with Chinese herbal medicine use among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
title_sort prevalence and factors associated with chinese herbal medicine use among middle aged and older chinese adults with diabetes mellitus
topic complementary and alternative medicine
Chinese herbal medicine
diabetes
prevalence
associated factors
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1482228/full
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