Assessment of attitudes and perceptions about complementary and alternative medicines by health professional faculty

Abstract

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use amongst Americans is increasingly widespread. Recent data shows that 33% of Americans have used CAM therapy in the past 12 months. The prevalence of CAM use highlights the need for pharmacists and health care providers and their respective students to be knowledgeable regarding these therapies. ObjectiveIn order to assess attitudes and perceptions of health professional faculty regarding CAM modalities, an on-line survey was developed and distributed by e-mail in 2010 to targeted participants. This study aimed to: (1) describe attitudes and perceptions of faculty regarding CAM use, and (2) assess changes in these markers since the initial 2002 survey. DesignA Qualtrics® anonymous survey link was sent to health sciences faculty listservs in 2002 and 2010. Survey questions assessed frequency of subject CAM self-use, referral frequency and CAM modalities that they felt were essential for health care education today. ResultsFaculty had significant increase in self-use of CAM and increased likelihood to refer for most CAM modalities (mind–body interventions (17% vs. 41%), p < 0.00, biologically based (17% vs. 42%), p < 0.001, manipulative and body-based methods (28% vs. 41%), p = 0.002, and energy therapies (4% vs. 9%), p = 0.03). They also considered teaching about mind–body, biologically based, and manipulative and body-based modalities an essential component of curricula. Future implicationsSurvey data will inform research, education, and practice gaps, and be utilized to educate health professionals about CAM resources in patient care, research, and to develop didactic and experiential teaching.