Abstract
Objective: The aim of research was to investigate the attitudes and behaviors towards traditional and complementary medicine methods, the use of which has increased in recent years, in individuals admitted to the hospital.Material-Method: The descriptive study was performed by applying a questionnaire to 276 people. The questionnaire included questions about the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about traditional complementary medicine methods, and the Complementary, Alternative, and Conventional Medicine Attitude Scale. Data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 15. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskall-Wallis H tests were used in the comparison of traditional and complementary medicine attitudes and behaviors with sociodemographic characteristics. p<0.05 was considered significant.Results: 33% of respondents had applied at least one traditional complementary medicine method. The most commonly used methods were cupping (n=40), phytotherapy (n=34) and acupuncture (n=17). The mean score of scale was found to be 109.05±15.44. The mean score of the individuals aged 45 and over is higher than the other ages and is 102.7±17.2 (p<0.048). A statistically significant difference was found between the use of at least one traditional and complementary method and the variables of age, marital status, place of residence for the longest time, and perceived health (p<0.05).Conclusion: TCM methods are known to the majority of people who visit polyclinics. Their attitudes towards traditional and complementary medicine are quite close to positive. Physicians should question whether their patients use traditional methods.
Highlights
According to World Health Organization (WHO), traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill and practices based on the beliefs, beliefs and experiences traditional to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illnesses
In the study conducted by Sensoy et al 14 among those who applied to a university hospital, 95% of the participants were aware of Traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) practices, while in the study conducted by Ozer et al 3 68.5% of the patients were knowledgeable about TCM methods3
In the study conducted by Ozer et al 3, on patients who applied to the internal medicine outpatient clinic using CACMAS, the mean score of the scale was found 115.78±18.81, and it was stated that the participants' attitudes towards TCM were moderately positive
Summary
According to World Health Organization (WHO), traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skill and practices based on the beliefs, beliefs and experiences traditional to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illnesses. As a result of the discussions, it was decided that these methods could not be an alternative to medicine, but could only be complementary to the treatment, and the definition of "traditional and complementary medicine" came to the fore, based on the definition of WHO3. Traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) methods are classified as "alternative whole medical systems" (homepathy, acupuncture, etc.), "mind-body interventions" (hypnotherapy, yoga, etc.), "biological-based therapies" (probiotics, antioxidants, herbs), "manipulative body-based methods" and "energy therapies" 4,5. Many individuals resort to TCM methods for the treatment of serious physical and mental diseases, IJTCMR 2021;2(3): 153-161
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