Use, beliefs, and attitude towards the use of complementary and alternative medicine in a sample among medical students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly recognized globally as a utilized approach and a subject of study. This study aimed to examine the use, beliefs, and attitudes toward the use of CAM in a sample of medical students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was undertaken in Saudi Arabia with a sample of medical students between December 2020 and August 2021. A previously developed questionnaire was adapted and used in this study. Results: A total of 502 students were involved in this study. Only one-quarter of the study participants (25.3%; n= 127) confirmed that they had previous exposure to CAM courses. The most commonly agreed upon attitude statement was that "they agree that it is necessary to ask every patient about the previous usage of CAM during history-taking" (87.8%). The study participants showed a low positive attitude toward CAM. This was demonstrated through their mean attitude score, which was 3.2 (SD: 1.7) out of 7 (which is equal to 45.7% of the maximum score). Students who were previously exposed to CAM courses were 2.5-fold more likely to have a positive attitude toward CAM compared to others (p