Utilization and acceptance of Ayush medicines among school going adolescents

Background: India is a country with significantly high use of Ayush medicine especially in the rural areas. Data on utilization of Ayush medicines among school going adolescent population are lacking. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, patterns, and determinants of Ayush medicine use among school going adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in a rural setting. Methods: The cross-sectional survey based study was conducted involving 298 school going adolescents aged 10 to 19 years of age. Data was collected through structured questionnaires, and statistical analysis was performed to determine the utilization and acceptance of Ayush medicines among the participants. Results: Of the 298 adolescents who were offered the questionnaire, 264 returned the filled questionnaires, however, only 261 were included in the final analysis. The rate of utilization of Ayush drugs amounts to 47%. Utilization increases along with increase in age and shows a significant difference between boys and girls. Teenage girls are more likely to use Ayush medicines than teenage boys. 36% participants have used Ayush medicines for the treatment of respiratory ailments, while 28.7% utilized Ayush drugs for dermatological causes. Majority of participants had used both Unani and Ayurveda while Unani alone was the most prevalent system with a utilization rate of 22.1%. Conclusions: Utilization of Ayush medicines including Unani and Ayurveda among school going adolescents in the age group of 10 and 19 years shows relatively higher rates. The findings of current study highlight the current state of Ayush drug utilization and identify factors influencing awareness levels among school going adolescents