A community-based behavioural change intervention on the knowledge of herbal medicine use: pretest–posttest study

Background Herbal products are used worldwide to treat various ailments and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This can be attributed to the communities’ experiences and the wealth of inherited knowledge, which gives rise to a unique perception of herbal medicines (HM). There has been an increase in research topics in health education ; however, behaviour change interventions relating to the use of HM and herb-drug interaction (HDIs) are lacking. Objectives To explore the effect of behaviour change intervention based on the health belief model (HBM) on communities’ knowledge on the use of HM. Method A community-based study was conducted in the local municipalities of Gauteng, Free State, and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa. Eighty community members (n = 80) participated in the pretest–posttest intervention study. A behaviour change intervention was developed and assessed to increase knowledge of HM and herb-drug intervention (HDIs). Data was collected using pre- and post-questionnaires and analysed statistically using descriptive analysis, cross-tabulation, pre-and post-item tests, and paired sample T-tests. Results The findings of this pilot study showed that the HBM-driven intervention was best suited, as it successfully educated communities about HDIs and changed their perception of the use of HM. Perceptions built on perceived benefits, perceived risks, and self-efficacy showed a notable change after the behavioural change intervention. Conclusion The current study echoes the need for community-based education to prevent possible HDIs, especially in communities that are culturally rooted in HM. This pilot study showed that a model-driven behavioural change intervention can effectively motivate healthy behaviour.