Prevalence and Pattern of Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Saudi Diabetic Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus is a common disease in Saudi Arabia and is a risk factor for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use. Many studies have assessed the herbs used by patients with diabetes, but few have assessed CAM use in general. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of CAM use among patients with diabetes in Saudi Arabia. METHODS This study is a cross-sectional study targeting the adult Saudi population and was conducted in King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. RESULTS The sample size was 341 patients; 43% of the patients had type 1 diabetes. Twenty-six percent of them had used one or more types of CAM. Approximately 52.57% of CAM users had an A1C of 9% or more. Fifty-one percent of CAM users mentioned that their diabetes was better with CAM usage. The most commonly used herbal products in this study were black cumin (41.57%), followed by fenugreek (28%), myrrh (23.6%), Frankincense (22.4%), cinnamon (15%), garlic (15%), and onion (15%). Older age and employment are predictors of CAM use in Saudi patients with diabetes. The main sources of CAM were family and friends. CONCLUSIONS CAM use is still common in Saudi patients with diabetes. Old age and employment are the main predictors of CAM use. Determining CAM use is an important part of clinical encounters, especially in patients with type 1 diabetes.