Treatment of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis from Somalia

Background: The global usage of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) is growing. Objectives: This study aims to examine the complementary therapy frequently used by Somali people in chronic hepatitis B (HBV)and hepatitis C (HCV) patients. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Mogadishu between January 1 and March 30, 2023. A total of 300 patients with a history of chronic HBV, HCV, or both were included according to the Leslie-Kish formula. Results: Of the cases, 51.3% were male. The most preferred CAM was honey (67.3%), followed by camel milk (23.3%) and burning (9.7%). Honey was highly preferred by older HBV patients (P = 0.006), illiterate people (P < 0.001), those living in urban areas (P = 0.032), young married people (P < 0.001), in the first five years of diagnosis (P < 0.001), those who never received antiviral treatment (P = 0.039), and those who attended regular polyclinic control (P < 0.001). The use of camel's milk was more preferred among older and illiterate people (P < 0.001), married people of the same age group (P < 0.001), married people (P = 0.006), housewives (P < 0.001), and people with one wife (P = 0.034). Burning, the third most preferred CAM method, was more common in those not receiving antiviral treatment (P = 0.042), in older housewives (P = 0.048), and in both gender groups who were married (P = 0.001). Interestingly, more people reported benefiting from honey (P = 0.039) and burning (P = 0.045). Conclusions: Chronic HBV and C patients from Mogadishu frequently use various CAM methods. Complementary alternative medicine preferences changed according to sociodemographic status, type of hepatitis, antiviral treatment, and polyclinic control.