Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34139450›Full record

ArticleJournal of the neurological sciences2021

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of herbal medication use among Ghanaian stroke survivors.

Fred Stephen Sarfo, Bruce Ovbiagele

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the neurological sciences, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Low-cost Rehabilitation Solutions: Lessons From LMIC Settings.Current neurology and neuroscience reports · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Delays in the Stroke Care Pathway in a Low-Income Setting: An Audit Study from Mozambique.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Fred Stephen SarfoDepartment of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. Electronic address: stephensarfo78@gmail.com.
Bruce OvbiageleDepartment of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, USA.

Funding

Phone-based Interventions under Nurse Guidance after Stroke II (PINGS II)R01HL152188 · NHLBI · NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE/RES/EDU · PI OVBIAGELE, BRUCE, SARFO, FRED STEPHEN · 2020 to 2024
$2.8M
Ghana-SPARCO: Ghana Sickle Pan-African Research ConsortiumU01HL157004 · NHLBI · KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY/SCIENCE/TECH · PI OFORI-ACQUAH, SOLOMON FIIFI, SARFO, FRED STEPHEN · 2021 to 2025
$1.4M
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL152188NHLBI NIH HHS U01 HL157004
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHerbal medicines are not regulated by regulatory authorities and are often not of proven safety and efficacy. Anecdotal reports suggest widespread use of traditional herbal medicine (THM) for treatment of stroke in Africa, but verifiable data are limited in published literature.

objectiveTo assess the frequency and reasons for THM use among Ghanaian stroke survivors.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of 106 consecutive stroke survivors presenting for care at a tertiary medical center in Kumasi, Ghana between June and October 2020. Information on demographic, clinical, vascular risk factors and use of THM were collected in a non-judgmental manner and analyzed.

resultsAmong the cohort, 46 (43.4%) reported use of any THM for their stroke management. There was a trend towards fewer women who reported use of THM 34.8% vs 53.3%, p = 0.06. Of those reporting use of THM, 78% had blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg vs. 56% among those not exposed to THM (p = 0.02). Top reasons proffered for use of THM were: expecting them to aid faster recovery from stroke (n = 30), expecting them to cure stroke (n = 18), and expecting them to be of superior effectiveness compared to approved conventional medications of proven efficacy/safety (n = 1).

conclusionAlmost half the individuals in this contemporary sample of Ghanaian stroke survivors reported use of THM with expectations for improved outcomes. More counseling is required to inform patients about potential safety issues with THM use, and more research is needed to explore risk/benefit of promising THMs to improve stroke outcomes.

Indexed as

StrokeBlood PressureCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGhanaHumansSurvivorsAfricaHerbal medicinesHypertensionStroke types

Identifiers

PMID34139450
PMCPMC8325628

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.