Frequency of diseases and use of medicinal plants in adults in a rural Peruvian community

Reyna Gonzales C.M.; Huyhua-Gutiérrez S.C.; Cruz Caro O.; Diaz-Manchay R.J.; Tejada-Muñoz S. · Frontiers in Public Health (2026) · DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1806021

Resumen

In rural communities, the use of medicinal plants remains a widely practiced traditional health strategy closely linked to local morbidity patterns and sociocultural factors. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of self-reported illnesses and to characterize the use of medicinal plants according to disease type, recurrence, and selected sociodemographic characteristics among adults in a rural community in Luya, Amazonas, Peru. A descriptive–analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 adults using validated structured questionnaires administered during household visits between January and February 2025. Illness episodes were defined as any health condition reported during the 3 months preceding the survey and were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). In total, 14 reported disease items and 18 symptom items were identified and grouped into 13 ICD-10 disease categories. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable ordinal logistic regression were applied. The most frequent disease category corresponded to respiratory diseases (32.5%), followed by musculoskeletal (19.8%) and digestive conditions (13.5%). Medicinal plant use was common, with infusions (34.8%) and decoctions (12.2%) as the main preparation methods. Chi-square analysis identified significant associations between medicinal plant use and sex, educational level, illness duration, healthcare utilization, symptoms, and perceived usefulness (p < 0.05). However, in the multivariable model, only age (OR = 1.022; 95% CI: 1.011–1.034; p < 0.001) and sex (OR = 0.550; 95% CI: 0.383–0.789; p = 0.001) remained significant predictors. These findings indicate that medicinal plant use is primarily structured by sociodemographic factors rather than by direct indicators of disease burden. The results provide relevant evidence on self-care practices in rural contexts, highlighting the sociocultural importance of medicinal plants in health-seeking behavior. Copyright

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas; Universidad Católica Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo