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Complementary Medicine Use and Self-perceived Discrimination Among Asylum Seekers in Switzerland: A Cross-sectional Study

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Abstract

Scarce data exist on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by asylum seekers in Switzerland and their perception of discrimination. A cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence and type of CAM used by asylum seekers in one region of Switzerland and evaluated their self-perceived discrimination. Among the 61 asylum seekers who participated, lifetime prevalence of CAM use was 46%, with 28% reporting its use during the last year. Herbal medicine was the most frequently used CAM. Self-perceived discrimination was reported by 36% of asylum seekers, mainly related to their national origins. CAM users had a tendency to report more discrimination than non-users (44% vs. 30%). CAM use is prevalent among asylum seekers. Considering the importance of herbal medicine use and that only half of the respondents disclosed CAM use to their physician, clinicians should ask about it, notably because of potential risks of herb–drug interaction.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all collaborators of the Etablissement vaudois d’accueil des migrants (EVAM) and of the Réseau de santé et migration (RESAMI), as well as the USMi (Unité de Soins aux Migrants) team. We wish also to thank Muaamar Al-Gobari, MPH, PhD, for performing statistical analyses; Julie Dubois, MA, for her careful reading of the manuscript; and all participating asylum seekers.

Funding

This study was internally funded.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Herisau Hospital, Herisau, Switzerland

    Laura Walthert

  2. Vulnerabilities and Social Medicine Department, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Patrick Bodenmann

  3. Epidemiology and Health Systems Department, Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Laura Walthert, Bernard Burnand & Pierre-Yves Rodondi

  4. Institute of Family Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Pierre-Yves Rodondi

Authors
  1. Laura Walthert
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  2. Patrick Bodenmann
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  3. Bernard Burnand
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  4. Pierre-Yves Rodondi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pierre-Yves Rodondi.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Informed Consent

Participants gave their oral consent before participating in this study.

Ethical Approval

The research ethics committee of the canton of Vaud approved the study (date of approval: 07/23/2015).

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Walthert, L., Bodenmann, P., Burnand, B. et al. Complementary Medicine Use and Self-perceived Discrimination Among Asylum Seekers in Switzerland: A Cross-sectional Study. J Immigrant Minority Health 22, 61–65 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-019-00895-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-019-00895-5

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