Use of medicinal plants in Honduras: Characteristics and associated factors

Context: Alternative medicine has been used for thousands of years in Latin America, but there are no updated reports in Honduras, a Central American country. Aims: To characterize and find the factors associated with the use of medicinal plants in Honduras. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out by means of Physicians in Social Service (MSS) in hospitals and health institutions; 16,379 respondents were reached in all departments of Honduras, who were asked about their general characteristics, use of medicinal plants and other similar characteristics; descriptive and analytical statistics were obtained. Results: 87.9% (14,398) mentioned that they had used medicinal plants. Their use was higher in the female population (p<0.001), living in a rural area (p<0.001), having been treated with natural medicine (p<0.001), among those who recommended that others be treated with medicinal plants (p<0.001) and those who thought that plants are cheaper than pharmacological treatments (p=0.042); on the contrary, those who thought that drugs were cheaper (p<0.001), those who did not know about the prices (p<0.001) and those who perceived that natural medicine care was cheaper (p<0.001) used fewer natural treatments; adjusted for four variables. Conclusions: The study identified key characteristics and factors associated with the use of medicinal plants in Honduras. These findings offer valuable insights for public health officials and policymakers, especially in countries with similar cultural and socioeconomic contexts within Central America. Understanding the prevalence and types of alternative medicine used across urban and rural populations can help guide health interventions and integrate traditional medicine into public health strategies.