Factors associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine among elderly registered with Elderly Activity Centre in Klang Valley

Elderly individuals increasingly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) due to greater availability, but uncontrolled use can be unsafe. This study determined factors associated with CAM use among the elderly in the Klang Valley using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly individuals registered with Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas (PAWE). Respondents were selected via simple random sampling, and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Ethical approval was obtained from the Universiti Putra Malaysia Ethics Committee. The prevalence of CAM use was 64.3%. Common reasons included improving bodily performance, ingestion as the primary type, family or friends as the main information sources, and purchase at shops as the preferred method. Factors associated with CAM use included education level, spouse status, employment status, income level, and constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control). Higher education (AOR: 1.929, 95% CI: 1.100 - 3.385) and perceived behavioural control (AOR: 1.861, 95% CI: 1.475–2.347) were significant predictors of CAM use. It is recommended that healthcare providers receive adequate training on CAM use as Malaysia transitions to an aged population.

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