ROLE OF TRADITIONAL AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE IN SUSTAINING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MALAYSIANS
List of Authors
  • HARN SHIAN BOO , SHARIFFAH SURAYA SYED JAMALUDIN

Keyword
  • Sustainability, Traditional and Complementary Medicine, health, well-being. Abbreviations: Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM)

Abstract
  • Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) is widely known among Malaysians for its practices. This paper aims to examine users’ experiences and perceptions of TCM on its role in sustaining the health and well-being of Malaysians. To achieve the objective of this study, a qualitative study was conducted with the respondents by using an online in-depth interview through the video conferencing platform. 15 respondents residing in Penang, Malaysia who used TCM including Traditional Malay Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Indian Medicine, and Islamic Medical Practice were recruited for this study. The data from the interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic approach was used for data analysis to identify emerging themes and sub-themes. Results indicated five core themes: (i) Strength of traditional beliefs on TCM, (ii) personalised patient-practitioner relationship, (iii) perceived effectiveness of TCM (iv) TCM provides better preventive measures, and (v) TCM promotes a holistic approach to health and well-being. Here, it concludes that TCM impacts Malaysians’ health and well-being. Therefore, its potential for growth and importance, especially for sustaining health and well-being cannot be denied. Further research with a larger sample of respondents is needed to represent the population better while deepening the understanding of users’ experiences and perceptions.

Reference
  • Abdullah, N., Borhanuddin, B., Patah, A. E. A., Abdullah, S., Dauni, A., Kamaruddin, M. A., Shah, S. A., & Jamal, R. (2018). Utilisation of complementary and alternative medicine in multiethnic population: The Malaysian Cohort Study. Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, 23, 1-9. DOI: 10.11 77/2515690X18765945.
    Adebisi, M. (2019). Ethnobotany survey of medicinal used in the treatment of fibroid in Ogun and Ogun State Southwestern, Nigeria. Journal of Research in Forestry, Wild and Environment, 11(2), 33-44.
    Ali, S. R., Gnanasan, S., & Farooqui, M. (2018). Women’s perspectives towards traditional and complementary medicine used to conceive, during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 30, 109- 115. DOI: 10.1010/j.ctcp.2017.12.009.
    Baskaran, S., Nallaluthan, K., & Kunjuraman, V. (2021). Perception and readiness towards Indian Ayurvedic medicine acceptance to combat Covid-19 outbreak: A multigroup analysis in PLS Path Modelling. International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, 12(2), 318-331. DOI: 10.47552/ijam.v12i3. 1874.
    Chandran, S. D., Puteh, F., Zianuddin, A., Azmi, A., & Khun, W. W. (2018). Key drives of medical tourism in Malaysia. Journal of Tourism Hospitality and Culinary Arts, 10(1), 15-26.
    Farooqui, M. (2013). The current situation and future direction of traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) in Malaysian Health Care System. Alternative and Integrative Medicine, 1(1). DOI: 10. 4172/2327-5162.1000e101.
    Foley, H., Steel, A., Mc Intyre, E., Harrett, J., Sibbritt, D., & Adams, J. (2021). Disclosure of conventional and complementary medicine use to medical doctors and complementary medicine practitioners: A survey of rates and reasons amongst those with chronic conditions. PLoS ONE, 16(11), e0258901. DOI: 10.1371/journal. pone. 0258901.
    Fuad, N. F. N. Y., Ching, S. M., Dzulkarnaian, D. H. A., Cheong, A. T., & Zakaria, Z. A. (2020). Complementary alternative medicine use among postpartum mothers in a primary care setting: A cross-sectional study in Malaysia. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 20, 197. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-02984-7.
    Hasneezah, H., Najwa, L., Noor Haslinda, I., Hafeez, I., Fatimah, M., VC, A. S., Minhat, H. (2016). Analysing the health policy making process: National policy of traditional and complementary medicine in Malaysia. International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences, 3(3), 17-31.
    Jamaludin, S. S. S., & Aloysius, M. (2019). A Malaysian perspective on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) during postpartum care and its relevance towards China’s One Belt One Road Initiative (BRI). In Md. Nazrul Islam (Ed.), Silk road to belt road (pp.261-274). Springer Nature. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-2998-2_15.
    James, T. C., & Bhatnagar, A. (2020). SDG-3 and Covid-19 mainstreaming traditional medicine. Forum on Indian Traditional Medicine (FITM). Policy Brief, 7, 1-8.
    Jasamai, M., Islahudin, F., & Samsuddin, N. F. (2017). Attitudes towards complementary alternative medicine among Malaysian adults. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 7(06), 190-193. DOI: 10.7324/JAPS. 2017.70627.
    Kaur, J., Hamajima, N., Yamamoto, E., Saw, Y. M., Kariya, T., Soon, G. C., Amin, A., Halim, A. N., Aziz, F. A., & Sharon, S. H. (2019). Patient satisfaction on the utilization of traditional and complementary services at public hospitals in Malaysia. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 42, 422-428. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.12.013.
    Kleinman, A. (1978). Concepts and a model for the comparison of medical systems as cultural systems. Social Science & Medicine, 12(2B), 85-95. DOI: 10.1016/01 60-7987(78)90014-5.
    Lam, C. S., Koon, H. K., Chung, VC-H., & Cheung, Y. T. (2021). A public survey of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine use during Covid-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. PLOS ONE, 16(7), e253890. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253890.
    Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications.
    Marican, N. D., Hashim, N. A. A. N., Halim, M. H. A., Ali, A. F. M., & Radzi, N. A. M. (2021). Traditional and complementary medicine practice in Malaysia: A comprehensive review of scientific evidences. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 11(04), 001-005. DOI: 10.7324/JAPS.2021.110401.
    Mohiuddin, S. G., Aziz, S., Ahmed, R., Ghadzi, S. M. S., Iqbal, M. Z., & Iqbal, M. S. (2021). Use of traditional Chinese medicine in Malaysia: A knowledge and practice study among general population toward complementary and alternative medicine in relation to health and quality of life in Malaysia. Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences, 13(1), 102-107. DOI: 10.4103/jpbs. JPBS_258_20.
    Mordeniz, C. (2019). Integration of traditional and complementary medicine into evidence-based clinical practice. In Cengiz Mordeniz (Ed.), Traditional and complementary medicine. IntechOpen. DOI: 10.5772/intech open.87061.
    Motoo, Y., Yukawa, K., Hisamura, K., & Arai, I. (2021). Physician perspectives on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine and the national evidence-based Japanese integrative medicine information website: A mixed-method study. Integrative Medicine Research, 10(1), 100454. DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2020.100454.
    Nurhayati & Lucie Widowati. (2017). The use of traditional health care among Indonesian family. Health Science Journal of Indonesia, 8(1),30-35. DOI: 10.22435/hsji.v8i1.5600.
    Othman, C. N., & Farooqui, M. (2015). Traditional and complementary medicine. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 170, 262-271. DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015. 01.036.
    Park, J. E., Yi, J., & Kwon, O. (2022). Twenty years of traditional and complementary medicine regulation and its impact in Malaysia: Achievements and policy lessons. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 102. DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07497-2.
    Payyappallimana, U. (2010). Role of traditional medicine in primary healthcare: An overview of perspectives and challenging. Yokohama Journal of Social Sciences, 14(6), 57-76.
    Pengpid, S., & Peltzer, K. (2018). Utilization of traditional and complementary medicine in Indonesia: Results of a national survey in 2014-2015. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 33, 156-163.
    Ridzuan, M., Ali, M., Tan, C., & Aziz, A. F. A. (2021). Traditional and complementary medicine use during postpartum period: A cross-sectional analysis at a rural, public maternal and child health clinic in West Malaysia. Cureus, 13(6), e15410. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.15410.
    Shewamene, Z., Dune, T., & Smith, C. A. (2020). Use of traditional and complementary medicine for maternal health and wellbeing by African migrant women in Australia: A mixed method study. BMC Complementary Medicine & Therapies, 20(60), 1-12. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-2852-6.
    Silbermann, M., & Hassan, E. A. (2011). Cultural perspectives in cancer care: Impact of Islamic traditions and practices in Middle Eastern Countries. Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, (33), S81-S86. DOI: 10.1097/MPH.0b013e318230dab6.
    Silvanathan, S., & Know, B. S. (2014). Current public awareness on the safety of traditional and complementary medicine in Malaysia. European Journal of Integrative Medicine. DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2014.12.003
    Simwaka, A., Peltzer, K., & Maluwa-Banda, D. (2007). Indigenous healing practices in Malawi. J. Psychol. Afr., 17, 155-162. DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2007.10820162.
    Siti, Z. M., A. Farah, Fazlin, S. M., Sondi, S., Azman, A. H., & Zaleha, W. C. (2009). Use of traditional and complementary medicine in Malaysia: A baseline study. Complementary Therapy Medicine, 17(5), 292-299. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2009.04.002.
    Suhail, P., & Srinivasulu, Y. (2021). Perception of service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions in Ayurveda health care. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 12(1), 93-101. DOI: 10.1016/j. jaim. 2020.10.011.
    Suhami, N., Muhamad, M., & Krauss, S. E. (2015). Why cancer patients seek Islamic healing? Journal of Religion and Health, 55, 1507-1518. DOI: 10.1007/s10943-015- 0114-6.
    Tahir, A. A. M., Thomas, P., & Li, S. C. (2015). Challenges and opportunities in integrating complementary and alternative medicine into mainstream of the Malaysian healthcare system. TANG [HUMANITAS MEDICINE], 5(4), 1-23.6. DOI: 10.5667/ TANG.2015.0014.
    Tam, Y. L. A., Chang, M. L. D., & Norazah, M. S. (2014). Understanding consumption of the traditional and complementary medicine: A conceptual model. International Journal of Research in Management & Social Science, 2(3), 1-6.
    Teoh, C. S. (2013). Herbal ingestion during pregnancy and postpartum period is a cause for concern. Medical Journal of Malaysia, 68(2), 157-160.
    Teow, Y. E. E., Ng, S. C., & Azmi, A. H. M. (2021). A cross-sectional evaluation of complementary & alternative medicine use in a non-urban Malaysian population. Journal of Community Health, 46, 515-521. DOI: 10.1007/s10900-020-00891-z.
    Warriner, S., Bryan, K., & Brown, A. M. (2014). Women’s attitude towards the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in pregnancy. Midwifery, 30, 138- 143. DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2013.03.004.
    World Health Organization. (2019). WHO Global Report on Traditional & Complementary Medicine. Geneva.
    Zheng, T., Chen, W., Hu, H., Wang, J., Harnett, J. E., & Ung, C. O. L. (2020). The prevalence, perceptions and behaviours associated with traditional/complementary medicine use by breastfeeding women living in Macau: A cross-sectional survey study. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 20, 122. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-02921-8