Abstract:
This descriptive study aimed to examine health status and health behavior of
type 2 diabetic patients using Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom). Seventy-six patients who
visited the Diabetes Mellitus (DM) clinics in tertiary and secondary care hospitals in
Nakhon Si Thammarat were recruited from January 1 to May 31, 2007. Data on
demographics, health status, health behaviors, self confidence in controlling health
behaviors and diabetic complications were collected. Data analysis was performed by
using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and odds ratio
calculation with 95% confidence intervals. According to the findings, 61.84% of the
samples were males, 51.32% were under 60 years old, 68.4% had primary school
education and 77.62% were wage workers. After having been diagnosed with type 2
DM, 60.53% of these patients consumed Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom). The Mitragyna
speciosa (Kratom) consumption patterns were 88.16% ≥ 5 days per week. The majority
of the patients (69.74 %) consumed 1-2 leaves per time and 59.21% consumed 1-2
times per day. Patients who used Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) ≥ 5 days per week had
abnormal levels of hemoglobin A1C (48.69%), body mass index (43.42%), waist to hip
ratio (48.68%), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (52.63%) and creatinine clearance
(71.05%). About 62% of the patients had high levels of high density lipoproteincholesterol
while 54% had normal cholesterol levels and 66% had no peripheral
neuropathy. About 64.47% of the patients exhibited self-confidence in terms of their
health behaviors regarding food consumption, medication and physical activity and all of
the patients had total physical activity equaling more than 1,000 K-cals per week.The
study recommends that healthcare providers should manage diabetic patients in order to prevent renal complications, neuropathy and nephropathy. Comparison research studies
on the health status of patients who use and do not use Kratom should be conducted by
cohort study.
WALAILAK UNIVERSITY. CENTER FOR LIBRARY RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL MEDIA