Polypharmacy Meets Polyherbacy: Pharmaceutical, Over-the-counter, and Natural Health Product Use Among Canadian Adults
Date
2013
Authors
Votova, Kristine
Blais, Régis
Penning, Margaret J.
Maclure, Malcolm K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Canadian Journal of Public Health/Revue Canadienne de Sante Publique
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Natural health products (NHP) are increasingly being used to supplement prescription medications (PM) and over-the-counter (OTC)
products. The objective of this study was to examine patterns of overall health product use and how these patterns are associated with social and health
factors.
METHODS: We used direct health measures data from the Canada Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Cycle 1.0 (2007/2009) to examine recent product
use among adults aged 18-79 years (n=3,721). Latent class analyses were used to detect use (propensity) and intensity of use among users of all three
product types. Associations between social and health covariates and product patterns were examined using linear and multinomial logit regression
procedures.
RESULTS: Three latent classes of health product use were identified. The largest (43%) was characterized by a high probability of PM and NHP but not
OTC use. Class two (37%), in contrast, had a low probability of using any of the three health products. Class three (20%) had a high probability of PM
and OTC but not NHP use. Age, gender, immigrant status, household size, co-morbidity, perceived health status, and having a regular doctor were
associated with these patterns of use. Analyses of intensity of product use among users revealed seven distinct classes; these were differentiated by age,
household size, co-morbidity and weight (BMI status).
CONCLUSION: If defining polypharmacy or polyherbacy is based simply on number of health products used, then for Canadians under age 80 neither
practice appeared to be widespread. More work needs to be done to define the “poly” in polypharmacy and polyherbacy. This will inform the
conversation on appropriate product use, particularly given that about one half of Canadians used medications and NHPs concurrently.
Description
Keywords
Polypharmacy, Over-the-counter drugs, Dietary supplements, Nonprescription drugs
Citation
Votova, K., Blais, R., Penning, M.J. & Maclure, M.K. (2013). Polypharmacy Meets Polyherbacy: Pharmaceutical, Over-the-counter, and Natural Health Product Use Among Canadian Adults. Canadian Journal of Public Health/Revue Canadienne de Sante Publique, 104(3), e222-e228.