Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of using herbal and traditional remedies in Saudi Arabian adults who had psoriasis, to investigate their effects on symptoms and quality of life, and to recognize factors that might affect their decision to use them to manage psoriasis. .
Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey of Saudi adults aged 18 years and above with psoriasis conducted in January and October 2023. Multistage random sampling was used to recruit the participants. Structured questionnaires were used to measure demographics, herbal and traditional use, symptom improvement, quality of life, and reasons for choosing treatment.
Results: The study included 1,468 participants. Of which, 42% of participants used herbal/traditional therapies. Among users, 48.7% reported that redness and scaling improved, and the average symptom improvement rating was 3.2 (SD = 0.91) on a five-point scale. The mean quality-of-life scores were significantly higher among users of herbal and traditional therapies than among non-users (3.12 ± 0.93 vs. 2.25 ± 0.61; p-value=0.03). Moreover, 36.0% of the participants believed that herbal therapies were more effective than conventional treatments, and 45.9% felt that they were equally effective. The most common reasons that drove them included cultural beliefs, perceived safety, and influence from family or friends.
Conclusion: Majority of Saudi adults with psoriasis use herbal and traditional therapies, which were linked to perceived symptom improvement and improved quality of life. Their clinical efficacy and safety should be subjected to further controlled studies.

Key words: Psoriasis management, herbal remedies efficacy, traditional Saudi treatments, quality-of-life impact, patient-centered care, Saudi Arabia.