Socio-Demographic Factors and Health Literacy in Relation to Herbal Medicine Use Behaviors among Older Adults in Northern Thailand

Background: Socio-demographic factors, health literacy (HL), and herbal medicine use behaviors are key contributors to improved self-care practices and enhanced quality of life among older adults. We examined the factors associated with herbal medicine use behaviors among elderly individuals in Northern Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of older persons aged 60 and up was done between April and May 2025, with a total of 382 participants. Socio-demographic factors and herbal medicine use behaviors were assessed using a structured questionnaire. HL was measured using the European Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16). Results: The results indicated that the prevalence of herbal medicine use was 67.8%. HL levels were distributed as follows: 60.5% had likely sufficient HL, 21.2% had likely problematic HL, and 18.3% had inadequate HL. In the binary logistic regression analysis, the odds of herbal medicine use were higher among participants aged ≥65 years (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.10–2.65), those without diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.09–3.13), individuals with a history of falls in the previous year (OR = 4.47, 95% CI: 1.97–10.13), and those with inadequate HL (OR = 3.12, 95% CI: 1.56–6.27). Conclusions: The findings revealed that participants aged ≥65 years, those without diabetes mellitus, individuals with a history of falls in the previous year, and those with inadequate HL were more likely to use herbal medicine. These results suggest that interventions addressing socio-demographic factors and HL could improve health outcomes related to herbal medicine use in this demographic.