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Ethnic differences in medicinal plant use among University students: a cross-sectional survey of self-reported medicinal plant use at two Midwest Universities
Craft, Rachel Elizabeth McClure, Katrina Corbett, Steven Ferreira, Maria Stiffarm, Ashley M. Kindscher, Kelly
Craft, Rachel Elizabeth
McClure, Katrina
Corbett, Steven
Ferreira, Maria
Stiffarm, Ashley M.
Kindscher, Kelly
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Abstract
Background
Numerous surveys of medicinal plant use among college students abound, but none compare use between students enrolled in two different Universities with significantly different ethnic compositions. The objective of this study is to compare medicinal plant use between two different ethnic college populations and explore differences between student medicinal plant users and non-users for comparison with previous research.
Methods
Students (n = 721) at a large research university (n = 498) and a Pan-Tribal University for Native Americans (n = 233) completed surveys in October 2011 to assess past year medicinal plant use. The Mann-Whitney U test, Chi Square test, and General Linear Model were used to compare demographics and self-reported use of medicinal plants among students at both Universities and between past year users and non-users.
Results
Over 23 % of university students surveyed reported past year medicinal plant use. Users were more likely to use commercial tobacco products and to report poorer health than non-users. While Native American student medicinal plant users reported significantly higher rates of commercial tobacco use, lower self-assessment of health, and less use of prescription medicine than non-Native users, no significant differences in prevalence of medicinal plant use were found between University student populations.
Conclusions
Results are consistent with preexisting data showing higher rates of medicinal plant use among college students compared to the larger US population of adults and demonstrate previously documented health disparities in Native American populations compared to non-Native Americans.
Description
A grant from the One-University Open Access Fund at the University of Kansas was used to defray the author's publication fees in this Open Access journal. The Open Access Fund, administered by librarians from the KU, KU Law, and KUMC libraries, is made possible by contributions from the offices of KU Provost, KU Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, and KUMC Vice Chancellor for Research. For more information about the Open Access Fund, please see http://library.kumc.edu/authors-fund.xml.
Date
2015
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BioMed Central
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Keywords
US, Alternative medicine, Herbal medicine, Native American, Health disparities, Student health, College students, Surveys, Undergraduates
Citation
Craft R, McClure KC, Corbett S, Ferreira MP, Stiffarm AM, Kindscher K. Ethnic differences in medicinal plant use among University students: a cross-sectional survey of self-reported medicinal plant use at two Midwest Universities. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2015;15:192.
http://dx.doi.org10.1186/s12906-015-0725-1.