Health Conditions And Sociodemographic Determinants Associated With Complementary Treatment Use Among Patients Attending A Tertiary Hospital In Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Understanding which health conditions drive complementary treatment (CT) use, and which patients are most likely to use it, is essential for targeting clinical safety interventions. This study examined the health conditions for which CT is used and the sociodemographic factors associated with CT use among patients attending a tertiary hospital in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 386 outpatients at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH); 288 respondents (74.6%) reported lifetime CT use. Health conditions for which CT was used, timing of use relative to hospital treatment, and self-reported reasons for use were assessed among CT users. Associations between sociodemographic variables and CT use (yes/no) were evaluated using the chi-square test, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: CT was most commonly used for acute infectious conditions (78.7% of users), principally malaria or fever (72.9%), followed by chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs; 63.6%), including hypertension (39.1%), arthritis (32.9%), and diabetes (29.8%). Reproductive/gynecological issues (21.3%) and mental or spiritual conditions (18.6%) were also reported. Just over half of users (51.6%) combined CT with hospital treatment for a given condition, while 34.1% used CT first. Belief in natural remedies (77.1%) and cultural or traditional beliefs (64.0%) were the leading self-reported reasons for use, alongside cost (54.7%) and accessibility (49.6%). CT use was significantly associated with lower monthly income (85.2% among the lowest income group versus 46.7% among the highest; χ² = 15.398, p = 0.001) and lower educational attainment (90.5% among those with no formal education versus 63.9% among those with tertiary education; χ² = 11.241, p = 0.010). No significant association was found with sex, age, or marital status.

Conclusion: CT use in this population extends well beyond minor ailments to include chronic disease management, and is significantly more common among patients with lower income and lower educational attainment. These findings point to a socioeconomically patterned, belief-driven pattern of CT use that carries particular risk for patients managing chronic non-communicable disease, and support targeted screening and counselling in lower-resource patient groups.