An Investigation into the Attitudinal Disposition towards Herbal Health Information among Staff in Colleges of Education in Oyo Metropolis

Abstract

The research work investigated into the attitudinal disposition towards herbal health information among staff in colleges of education in Oyo metropolis, Therefore, the study sets out to: determine the staff level of awareness about herbal health information; ascertain the staff’s knowledge of herbal medicine; find out their knowledge of type and format of herbal health information available in the library; determine their knowledge of benefits and side effects of synthetic drugs; examine the problem encountered by staff in taking herbal health and, proffer necessary solution to eradicate the challenges confronting staff members  in their use of herbal medicine. The study employed the use of quantitative method of data gathering involving randomly selected respondents from the population under consideration, while structured questionnaire was used as instruments for the study. The findings revealed that herbal health information is not readily accessible by majority of the respondents, and that there was a notion that only the initiated can access herbal health information. It was also established that only few have the knowledge of herbal supplements. Meanwhile, majority of the respondents are fully aware of the herbal potency but cannot manipulate herbs for their personal use, Findings also reveal that only a selected few can either identify useful herbs or identify different herbs for different ailments respectively. It was equally established that majority of the respondents cannot treat sicknesses with the use of local herbs. Revelations were also made that majority of the respondents are not aware of the presence of herbal health information based materials in the library. Recommendations were made that Libraries should make unrelenting awareness on the efficacy of herbal medicines; engage in proactive repackaging of herbal health information, initiate a purposeful display and exhibition of herbal health information, strategize on awareness creation as regards the means and methods of identifying different herbs, their nature, outlook and seasons, advocate for the encouragement of herbal health practitioners and promotion of research based on medicinal herbs and indigenous herbal health practices, among others.

Keywords: Herbal health information, herbal medicines, herbs, medicinal plants, synthetic drugs, traditional medicine, herbal remedy.