Complementary Health Practices Research Articles

Integralidade na formação de Terapeutas Ocupacionais: análise das percepções e estrutura curricular da Graduação

Introduction: Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (PICS) in the area of ​​Occupational Therapy (OT) require training and discussion in the graduation process to guarantee access and care within the integral reasoning of the body, mind, emotions and connections. Objectives: To verify the training, perceptions and experiences with PICS of OT undergraduates at the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto at the University of São Paulo. Methods: Cross-sectional, exploratory, descriptive and quantitative study using an online questionnaire developed in research with undergraduates in the last semester and analysis of the curricular structure and teaching plans. Results and discussion: Of the total of 17 undergraduates, 12 reported knowledge about PICS (100%), 92% used them for personal purposes, and 17% stated doubts about their effectiveness and uncertainty about their credibility in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) as a therapeutic resource in the profession. There was minimal training offered on PICS, of the 69 subjects in the undergraduate course, 3 dealt with the topic in a theoretical and experimental way, with a low workload and insufficient content for logic and professional use. Final considerations: There is a need for curricular changes to incorporate these practices as a therapeutic resource within the profession in order to guarantee access and quality care to the population.

Social determinants and work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Brazil.

This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) and their association with individual and contextual factors in the Brazilian population. This quantitative cross-sectional study used secondary data from the Brazilian National Health Survey from August 2013 to February 2014. The dependent variable included WMSD, and independent variables were analyzed as individual and contextual factors. WMSD was mostly prevalent in females, individuals aged 43 to 59 years, with chronic physical or mental disorders, reporting frequent sleep disorders, and performing integrative and complementary health practices, physical exercise or sports, and heavy physical activity or housework. Regarding contextual factors, high social classes and proportion of individuals with formal work were associated with a high prevalence of WMSD, whereas a high Gini index was associated with a low prevalence. Thus, a high prevalence of WMSD in the Brazilian population was associated with individual and contextual factors, which should be the target of health professionals for actions of promotion, prevention, and intervention at individual or collective care levels.

The Impact of Sauna on Health

This review examines the health implications of regular sauna use, a tradition deeply rooted in Finnish culture now gaining global interest for its potential health benefits. It consolidates findings from various scientific studies, emphasizing the physiological and health impacts of traditional sauna practices on cardiovascular health, mental well-being, and overall mortality. The review highlights the positive cardiovascular outcomes associated with regular sauna use, such as reduced risks of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and sudden cardiac death, attributing these benefits to improved endothelial function, decreased arterial stiffness, and positive changes in blood pressure. Additionally, sauna bathing is shown to offer mental health benefits by reducing stress, depression, anxiety levels, and possibly lowering the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. Despite the substantial benefits, the review also acknowledges potential risks, especially for individuals with specific health conditions, underscoring the importance of hydration and caution against alcohol consumption before sauna sessions. Conclusively, the evidence supports the integration of sauna bathing into health promotion strategies, with a call for further research to explore the mechanisms underlying its health benefits and to develop guidelines for optimizing these benefits while minimizing risks. Sauna bathing emerges as a promising, non-invasive approach to enhancing overall health and well-being, warranting its consideration in complementary health practices.

Historical evolution of ethical and legal aspects in aromatherapy in Brazilian Nursing

Introduction: Aromatherapy is an ancient practice performed by nurses, initially practiced by Florence Nightingale to calm wounded soldiers in the war and later consolidated by Marguerite Maury, considered an icon of modern Aromatherapy. This practice has sparked interest today due to its inclusion in Integrative and Complementary Health Practices and its congruence with the holistic vision present in nursing education and practice, which aims for care that reaches biopsychosocial and spiritual aspects. Objective: To describe the historical trajectory of ethical and legal aspects of nurse practice in Aromatherapy in Brazil. Material and Methods: This is a narrative review, in which publications from the Ministry of Health, the Federal Nursing Council, and Regional Nursing Councils were fully read, tracing a historical line of the legal developments of nurse practice in Aromatherapy. Searches used the keywords: aromatherapy, integrative practices in health, nursing, combined by the boolean indicator "and". These were organized in a chart that allows analyzing the evolution of these legislations over time. Results: Nursing, through its ethical and legal aspects, is a profession supported for the use of Aromatherapy in the nursing process in various health/disease situations. Nurses are allowed to prescribe essential oils, provided they have the training to do so that considers patient safety, and the development of institutional protocols is recommended. Nursing work in Aromatherapy has been recently regulated, with a minimum course load of 120 hours/lesson, in the form of free courses. Discussion and Conclusion: The ethical and legal aspects of Nursing in Aromatherapy have advanced, with solid ethical and legal bases. However, the lack of mandatory specialized education in the standards of the Ministry of Education, with courses subjected to evaluation and with a course load of over 360 hours/lesson, could mean a step back in the pursuit of in-depth knowledge, scientific research, and innovation. It is concluded that the regulation of Nursing in Aromatherapy is an important pathway opener for entrepreneurship, as well as consolidates its action as an integral member of the Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health.

Misinformation Persists in Complementary Health: Evaluating the Reliability and Quality of YouTube-Based Information on the Use of Acupuncture for Chronic Pain.

Acupuncture is commonly used to treat chronic pain. Patients often access public social media platforms for healthcare information when querying acupuncture. Our study aims to appraise the utility, accuracy, and quality of information available on YouTube, a popular social media platform, on acupuncture for chronic pain treatment. Using search terms such as "acupuncture for chronic pain" and "acupuncture pain relief", the top 54 videos by view count were selected. Included videos were >1 minute duration, contained audio in English, had >7000 views, and was related to acupuncture. One primary outcome of interest was categorizing each video's usefulness as useful, misleading, or neither. Another primary outcome of interest was the quality and reliability of each video using validated instruments, including the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) tool and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). The means were calculated for the video production characteristics, production sources, and mDISCERN and GQS scores. Continuous and categorical outcomes were compared using Student's t-test and chi-square test, respectively. Of the 54 videos, 57.4% were categorized as useful, 14.8% were misleading, and 27.8% were neither. Useful videos had a mean GQS and mDISCERN score of 3.77±0.67 and 3.48±0.63, respectively, while misleading videos had mean GQS and mDISCERN score of 2.50±0.53 and 2.38±0.52, respectively. 41.8% of the useful videos were produced by a healthcare institution while none of the misleading videos were produced by a healthcare institution. However, 87.5% of the misleading videos were produced by health media compared to only 25.8% of useful videos from health media. As patients increasingly depend on platforms like YouTube for trustworthy information on complementary health practices such as acupuncture, our study emphasizes the critical need for more higher-quality videos from unbiased healthcare institutions and physicians to ensure patients are receiving reliable information regarding this topic.

Determining the use of traditional and complementary health practices by adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

The research was conducted in a descriptive manner to determine the use of traditional and complementary health practices among adult individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample group of the study consisted of 385 adult individuals aged between 20-65 registered at Mucur Primary Health Care Centers. Data were collected using a "Data Collection Form" prepared by the researchers based on relevant literature review. Number, percentage, and mean were used in the analysis of the data. The mean age of the participants was 42.03±13.51, with 54.3% being female and 45.7% male. 66.0% of the individuals believe in the effectiveness of traditional and complementary health practices in COVID-19 disease, and 40.3% stated that they use traditional and complementary health practices every day during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most commonly used phytotherapy method (herbal treatment) during the COVID-19 pandemic by individuals is vitamin, citrus fruits, and garlic. It was found that individuals mostly practice breathing exercises, movement therapies, and music therapy among body and mind practices. Other complementary health approaches practiced by individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic include reading prayers, performing prayers, and seeking amulet-based therapies. It is recommended that healthcare professionals collect data on traditional and complementary health practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide education and counseling services to the community on this issue.

How do managers perceive the difficulties of implementing and implementing Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in Primary Health Care?

Resumo Após 15 anos de promulgação da política nacional, muitas unidades de saúde ainda não implantaram as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde. As razões para esse afastamento da Atenção Primária à Saúde na Região Metropolitana de Goiânia-GO, Brasil, ainda são desconhecidas. Assim, este estudo objetiva compreender como os gerentes percebem as dificuldades de implantação e implementação das Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, descritivo e exploratório, realizado com 24 gerentes de unidades básicas de saúde mediante entrevistas semiestruturadas e analisadas segundo a estrutura de conteúdo de Bardin. Os gerentes imputam a impossibilidade da oferta a fatores como sobrecarga do trabalho, falta de apoio financeiro, material e organizacional por parte das secretarias de Saúde, preconceito, infraestrutura inadequada, inexistência de recurso financeiro e insuficiência de formação em serviço. Portanto, concluímos que a implementação das Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde é incipiente na Atenção Primária à Saúde por conta, principalmente, de barreiras estruturais, organizacionais, culturais e educacionais. Esses resultados podem colaborar na resolução desses obstáculos, para que as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde possam ser oferecidas aos usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde de forma mais equânime.

Sociodemographic and training profile of nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo in relation to Integrative and Complementary Health Practices

Objetivo: analisar o perfil sociodemográfico e de formação dos profissionais de Enfermagem do estado de São Paulo em relação às Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde. Método: estudo transversal, desenvolvido com 3.794 profissionais de Enfermagem do estado de São Paulo, provenientes de 645 municípios. Para a coleta de dados, utilizou-se um questionário online contendo as variáveis sociodemográficas e de formação profissional. Foi construído um modelo de regressão de Poisson múltiplo hierárquico, considerando a formação em práticas como variável dependente, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: dos 3.794 (100%) participantes, 479 (12,62%) tinham formação em Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde. As práticas mais frequentes foram a auriculoterapia, a Medicina Tradicional Chinesa/acupuntura e o Reiki . As modalidades de formação predominantes foram cursos livres, presenciais e teórico-práticos. As variáveis idade, sem religião formal, nível superior de formação e especialização, carga horária de trabalho e conhecimento e experiência prévia sobre práticas integrativas apresentaram significância. Conclusão: os resultados indicam a necessidade de incentivar e expandir a formação em Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde dos profissionais de Enfermagem, a fim de fortalecer sua atuação nos serviços de saúde.

Sociodemographic and training profile of nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo in relation to Integrative and Complementary Health Practices

Objetivo: analizar el perfil sociodemográfico y de formación de los profesionales de enfermería del estado de São Paulo en relación a las Prácticas Integrativas y Complementarias en Salud. Método: estudio transversal, desarrollado con 3.794 profesionales de enfermería del estado de São Paulo, provenientes de 645 municipios. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó un cuestionario online que contenía variables sociodemográficas y de formación profesional. Se construyó un modelo de regresión de Poisson múltiple jerárquico, considerando la formación en prácticas como variable dependiente, con nivel de significancia del 5%. Resultados: de los 3.794 (100%) participantes, 479 (12,62%) tenían formación en Prácticas Integrativas y Complementarias en Salud. Las prácticas más frecuentes fueron la auriculoterapia, la Medicina Tradicional China/acupuntura y el reiki. Las modalidades de formación predominantes fueron cursos libres, presenciales y teórico-prácticos. Las variables edad, sin religión formal, nivel superior de formación y especialización, carga horaria de trabajo, y conocimiento y experiencia previa sobre prácticas integrativas presentaron significancia. Conclusión: los resultados indican la necesidad de incentivar y expandir la formación en Prácticas Integrativas y Complementarias en Salud a los profesionales de enfermería, con el fin de fortalecer su actuación en los servicios de salud.

Integrative and complementary health practices among university students: reasons for use or non-use

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo é compreender os motivos de uso e não uso das práticas integrativas e complementares entres estudantes universitários da área da saúde. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quanti-qualitativa, com dados coletados por meio de questionários (667) e entrevistas (34) e submetidos à análise de conteúdo. Os efeitos terapêuticos, a influência familiar e a oferta de alternativa à biomedicina foram as principais razões elencadas para o uso das práticas integrativas e complementares, ao tempo que a ausência de demanda, o desinteresse e a falta de oportunidade foram as motivações mais frequentes para o não uso. Nesse sentido, as motivações de uso enfatizam as vantagens obtidas através da interlocução com essas práticas e alguns contextos que determinam sua adoção. Em relação às motivações de não uso, destaca-se um cenário de baixa oferta e dominância da biomedicina na cultura ocidental contemporânea. Portanto, esses resultados corroboram a demanda de enfrentamento da monocultura da biomedicina, bem como a abordagem das práticas integrativas na educação superior. Desse modo, a universidade pode se construir a partir da tessitura entre diferentes culturas em saúde, com a facilitação do emprego das práticas não hegemônicas e a ampliação das bases epistêmicas de cuidado na formação e vida da comunidade acadêmica.

Perfil sociodemográfico e de formação dos profissionais de Enfermagem do estado de São Paulo em relação às Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde

Objective: to analyze the sociodemographic and training profile of nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo in relation to Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health. Method: cross-sectional study, developed with 3,794 nursing professionals in the state of São Paulo, from 645 municipalities. To collect data, an online questionnaire was used containing sociodemographic and professional training variables. A hierarchical multiple Poisson regression model was constructed, considering training in practices as the dependent variable, with a significance level of 5%. Results: of the 3,794 (100%) participants, 479 (12.62%) had training in Integrative and Complementary Health Practices. The most frequent practices were auriculotherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine/acupuncture and Reiki. The predominant training modalities were free, face-to-face and theoretical-practical courses. The variables age, no formal religion, higher education and specialization level, working hours and knowledge and previous experience on integrative practices were significant. Conclusion: the results indicate the need to encourage and expand the training of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices for nursing professionals, in order to strengthen their performance in health services.

Integrative nursing in the Brazilian northeast: introduction, potential, and challenges.

to describe the introduction, potential, and challenges experienced by nurses in the provision of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in the northeast f Brazil. A qualitative study conducted from June to December 2022 with 15 northeastern nurses qualified in Integrative and Complementary Practices. The data were produced through individual online interviews and submitted to content analysis. 15 nurses participated, and 23 integrative practices were cited, with a predominance of auriculotherapy, greater introduction in primary care and private nursing offices, highlighting labor and personal benefits. Their potential includes technical qualification for the practice and interest in continuing education. The hospital-centric view of professionals, the low diffusion on the theme in teaching, as well as the difficulty in pricing procedures and in developing clinical reasoning in other medical rationalities were cited as the main challenges. Despite the challenges still faced, northeastern nurses are offering integrative practices to complement user care.

Use of integrative and complementary health practices by Brazilian population: results from the 2019 National Health Survey

BackgroundIn 2006, Brazil implemented the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices of the SUS. and in 2015, the Brazilian Ministry of Health issued a reinforcement to this policy to increase access to integrative and complementary health practices (ICHP). In this study, we described the prevalence of ICHP in Brazilian adults according to their sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health, and chronic diseases.MethodsThis is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey including 64,194 participants from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey. Types of ICHP were categorized according to their purposes: health promotion (Tai chi/Lian gong/Qi gong, yoga, meditation, and integrative community therapy) or therapeutic practices (acupuncture, auricular acupressure, herbal treatment and phytotherapy, and homeopathy). Participants were classified as non-practitioners and practitioners, who in turn were grouped according to use of ICHP in the last 12 months: only used health promotion practices (HPP); only used therapeutic practices (TP); used both (HPTP). Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to estimate the associations of ICHP with sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health status, and chronic diseases.ResultsBrazilian adults showed an ICHP use prevalence of 6.13% [95%CI = 5.75–6.54]. Compared to non-practitioners, women and middle-aged adults were more likely to use any ICHP. Afro-Brazilians were less likely to use both HPP and HPTP, whereas Indigenous people were more likely to use both HPP and TP. We found a positive gradient of association among participants with higher income and educational attainment and access to any ICHP. People from rural areas and those with negative self-perceived health were more likely to use TP. Participants with arthritis/rheumatism, chronic back problems, and depression were more likely to use any ICHP.ConclusionsWe found that 6% of Brazilian adults reported using ICHP in the previous 12 months. Women, middle-aged individuals, chronic patients, people with depression, and wealthier Brazilians are more likely to use any type of ICHP. Of note, rather than suggesting to expand the offer of these practices in the Brazilian public health system, this study diagnosed Brazilians’ behavior of seeking for complementary healthcare.

Homeopathy: A State of the Science Review With Recommendations for Practical Therapies in Midwifery Practice.

A substantial proportion of adults and children in the United States use complementary and alternative health practices, including homeopathy. Many homeopathic therapies are readily available over the counter, and many individuals access and self-administer these therapies with little or no guidance from health care practitioners. In addition, patients and health care providers are often confused by terminologies associated with complementary practices and may be unable to distinguish homeopathy from naturopathy, herbalism, holistic medicine, Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, or other forms of health care. Compared with European and Asian countries, education in the United States about complementary and alternative health practices is not typically found within traditional nursing, midwifery, or medical education curricula. Given this lack of education and the broad acceptance and popularity of homeopathy, it is necessary for health care practitioners to improve their knowledge regarding similarities and differences among therapies so they can fully inform and make appropriate recommendations to patients. The intent of this article is therefore to examine the state of existing science of homeopathy, distinguish it from other complementary methods, and provide midwives and women's health care providers with an introduction to common homeopathic therapies that may be recommended and safely used by persons seeking midwifery care. This review also presents the evidence base, pharmacology, manufacturing, and regulation of homeopathic therapies. We also consider controversies and misunderstandings regarding safety and efficacy of homeopathic remedies relevant to women and birthing persons. Examples of practical applications of homeopathic therapies for use in midwifery practice are introduced. Implications for practice and sample guidelines are included.

CONHEÇO, LOGO ORIENTO: A IMPORTÂNCIA DA FORMAÇÃO DO FARMACÊUTICO EM PRÁTICAS INTEGRATIVAS E COMPLEMENTARES EM SAÚDE

Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (ICP), also called by the World Health Organization (WHO) (WHO, 2002) as traditional medicines, were instituted by the Ministry of Health (MH) in 2006 through the National Policy for Integrative Practices in Health (PNPIC). Most of the care is provided at the Basic Health Units (BHU) in the Primary Care component. The data from the MS report that considering primary care and services of medium and high complexity, there are currently 25.197 health facilities in the country offering ICPs. The pharmacist can perform all 29 practices that are offered in the Unified Health System (SUS), provided that has the proper training. The Ministry of Education (MEC), through Resolution 6/2017, establishes Curriculum Guidelines for pharmaceutical training that include education in PICs. Therefore, it is clear the importance and necessity of the movement of educational entities to implement the new Guidelines required by the MEC for Pharmacy Courses in the country.

Inequalities in access to integrative and complementary health practices in Brazil: National Health Survey, 2019.

Integrative and complementary practices (PICs) can be important health care strategies, mainly because they consider the integrality of the person. The objective of this article was to verify the inequality in the access to PICs of the Brazilian population based on data from the National Health Survey (PNS). This is a population-based cross-sectional study, with data from the 2019 PNS. The use of PICs in the past 12 months was investigated. Adjusted analysis was performed using Poisson regression and the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Concentration Index (CIX) were used to assess absolute and relative inequality. The prevalence of PIC use in Brazil was 5.4% (95%CI 5.3; 5.5). Individuals from the richest quintile, with higher education and with health insurance were more likely to use PICs in general, except for medicinal plants/herbal medicine. When observing the magnitude of inequalities, this was more positively accentuated in those with higher education and who had a private health plan. The results reveal social inequalities in the access to integrative practices, where the most elitist are more accessed by people with better socioeconomic conditions.

Offer of integrative and complementary health practices for the elderly in health services: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

Integrative and complementary health practices (ICHP) question the hegemony of the biomedical, technical and hospital paradigm, as they are an important axis in the process of redefining the health care model. Understanding how ICHP are offered to the elderly population can help to improve the production of changes in care and in the daily life of health services. To identify and summarize the scientific evidence on the provision of ICHP for the elderly in health services. This is a research protocol for a scoping review following the recommendations of the Extension for Scoping Reviews method proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Studies will be collected in the following databases, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Web of Science, Scopus, Scielo, Online System for Searching and Analyzing Medical Literature (MEDLINE), Embase, Virtual Library in Health and gray literature. Two independent reviewers will perform screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Assessment Checklist. For the quality of evidence, the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation analysis will be used. This review will provide information on the provision of ICHP for the elderly population in health services. This scoping review will provide evidence to help health professionals, managers and users to recognize more effective therapeutic inventions for promoting, preventing and protecting comprehensive health at different levels of care.

Endocannabinoid System: Chemical Characteristics and Biological Activity.

The endocannabinoid system (eCB) has been studied to identify the molecular structures present in Cannabis sativa. eCB consists of cannabinoid receptors, endogenous ligands, and the associated enzymatic apparatus responsible for maintaining energy homeostasis and cognitive processes. Several physiological effects of cannabinoids are exerted through interactions with various receptors, such as CB1 and CB2 receptors, vanilloid receptors, and the recently discovered G-protein-coupled receptors (GPR55, GPR3, GPR6, GPR12, and GPR19). Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidoylglycerol (2-AG), two small lipids derived from arachidonic acid, showed high-affinity binding to both CB1 and CB2 receptors. eCB plays a critical role in chronic pain and mood disorders and has been extensively studied because of its wide therapeutic potential and because it is a promising target for the development of new drugs. Phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids have shown varied affinities for eCB and are relevant to the treatment of several neurological diseases. This review provides a description of eCB components and discusses how phytocannabinoids and other exogenous compounds may regulate the eCB balance. Furthermore, we show the hypo- or hyperfunctionality of eCB in the body and how eCB is related to chronic pain and mood disorders, even with integrative and complementary health practices (ICHP) harmonizing the eCB.

Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in Coping with the Covid-19 Pandemic Period by Remote Workers

Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in Coping with the Covid-19 Pandemic Period by Remote Workers

Use of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices by professionals from the Expanded Centers for Family Health and Primary Care

Resumo Buscou-se conhecer a compreensão de profissionais dos Núcleos Ampliados de Saúde da Família e Atenção Básica (Nasf-AB) sobre a utilização das Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde (PICS) na sua atuação no município de Jaboatão dos Guararapes-PE, entre julho e agosto de 2020. Trata-se de um estudo de abordagem qualitativa, de caráter exploratório, utilizando-se da análise de conteúdo de Bardin para tratamento dos dados. Foram entrevistados 12 profissionais, dos quais dez utilizavam PICS, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino, parda, com formação em terapia ocupacional, de 30 a 39 anos. A auriculoterapia foi a prática predominante, sendo utilizada na população e nas equipes apoiadas, de forma individual e coletiva, principalmente nos problemas de saúde mental e dores crônicas. Os resultados ainda evidenciaram benefícios, formas de uso, fragilidades e potencialidades das PICS. A falta de financiamento federal das PICS, a aprovação da Emenda Constitucional (EC) 95/2017 e o atual Programa “Previne Brasil”, são vistos pelos autores como grandes desafios ao fortalecimento do Nasf-AB e à institucionalização das PICS na APS.