Use of medicinal plants among people attending two reference hospitals in Cusco, Peru

Abstract

In order to determine the frequency and characteristics of the use of medicinal plants in patients from two third-level hospitals in the city of Cusco, a cross-sectional study was conducted between August and September 2011. For data collection, an instrument was built and validated through experts’ judgment. The sample included 250 people selected in a non-probabilistic way. 83.2 and 75.3% informed having had used medicinal plants sometime during their lives and in the last month, respectively; additionally, 85.7 indicated that they wished their doctor would have prescribed them medicinal plants. Their most frequent uses include digestive problems (62.4%) as well as urinary (42.4%) and respiratory problems (40.4%). We conclude that the use of medicinal plants is widely spread among users of two hospitals in the city of Cusco. Utilization patterns show that patients wished the physicians of the health system prescribed medicinal plants in their consults.