Who Are the Main Recommenders of Herbal Drugs for Treating Neonatal Jaundice?

Abstract

Background: The use of herbal drugs for treating neonatal jaundice is a common practice in many societies despite the potential complications. However, little is known about the individuals or groups who typically recommend the use of these drugs for affected neonates. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the main recommendations of herbal drugs for treating neonatal jaundice. Methods: The format of the present cross-sectional study was designed and implemented based on interviews with parents of infants who have infantile jaundice who used herbal drugs for their neonates during 2019 and 2022 and were admitted to the Children’s Medical Center of Tehran, Iran. Along with baseline data, the socioeconomic situation of families was also evaluated. Results: Regarding the role of people in recommending the use of herbal drugs, in 52.1% of cases, the main recommenders to use this substance to treat infant jaundice were the patient's relatives, while the role of parents in recommending the consumption of this compound was 25.5%. Also, 6.4% of the neighbors of the patients’ family were the main recommenders to use herbal drugs for the affected neonates. Interestingly, 4.3% of doctors and 11.7% of pharmacists had the leading role in recommending the use of herbal drugs to treat infant jaundice. Parents who recommended using herbal drugs for their neonates were more likely to be smokers and less affluent. Conclusions: Relatives, parents, grandparents, and even neighbors play a significant role in recommending the use of herbal drugs in the treatment and control of neonatal jaundice. The role of doctors and pharmacists in recommending the use of this compound in the treatment of jaundice, especially considering the potential side effects, should not be underestimated.