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BMC complementary medicine and therapies
Dec 01, 2023;23 (1): 432.

Knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of healthcare professionals towards complementary and alternative medicine: a cross-sectional survey from twin cities of Pakistan.

Azhar Hussain Tahir, Maria Tanveer, Gul Shahnaz, Muhammad Saqlain, Shagufta Ayub, Ali Ahmed
Author Information
  1. Azhar Hussain Tahir: District Headquarter Hospital, Khushab, 41000, Punjab, Pakistan. azhartahir313@gmail.com. ORCID
  2. Maria Tanveer: Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan. ORCID
  3. Gul Shahnaz: Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
  4. Muhammad Saqlain: Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
  5. Shagufta Ayub: Leads College of Pharmacy, Lahore, 54000, Punjab, Pakistan. ORCID
  6. Ali Ahmed: Riphah Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan. alimeharsialkot@gmail.com. ORCID
PMID: 38041085 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04187-2

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The growing popularity and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) products among the general public worldwide has been well documented. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and perceptions (KAP) of Pakistani healthcare professionals (HCP) toward CAM and to document their views on integrating CAM education with the curriculum of undergraduate health science programs.
METHOD: A cross-sectional study using simple random sampling was conducted for a duration of ten months among HCPs from Pakistan's twin cities: Islamabad and RawalpindiThe data were collected using a self-administered and validated (Cronbach's alpha: 0.71) questionnaire. This questionnaire consisted of five sections, namely; demographic, attitude, perception, integration and knowledge.
RESULT: The response rate was 91.20% (500/456). The participants included 160 physicians, 155 nurses,and 141 pharmacists. The majority of the respondents were females, 67.50%, and unmarried (60.50%).The majority of HCPs participating in this study agreed that CAM modalities may benefit conventional medicine system. Likewise, most HCPs perceived different CAM therapies aseffective treatment options. More than 50% HCPs suggested CAM elective courses in the curriculum of the health sciences program.Overall, 79.17% of the HCPs have poor knowledge of CAM. Physicians have the highest knowledge score 25.63%, followed by pharmacists 21.99%, and nurses 12.26%. Knowledge status was significantly associated with age, profession, and experience of practice (p = 0.001,0.001 & 0.019).
CONCLUSION: This study revealed that despite the overall positive attitude of HCPs toward CAM, the score of knowledge is low. Therefore, the survey recommends evidence-based guidelines for the rationale use of CAM and updated syllabi of undergraduate health programs which will assist the future HCPs in increasing professionals' knowledge toachieve better health outcomes for the general public.

Keywords

Attitude Complementary and alternative medicine Healthcare professionals Knowledge Pakistan Perception

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MeSH Term

Female
Humans
Male
Cross-Sectional Studies
Pakistan
Cities
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Attitude of Health Personnel
Complementary Therapies
Students, Pharmacy
Journal Article

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0CAMHCPsknowledgestudyattitudehealthalternativemedicineprofessionals050%Knowledgeusecomplementaryamonggeneralpublicperceptionshealthcaretowardcurriculumundergraduateprogramscross-sectionalusingtwinquestionnairenursespharmacistsmajorityscore001surveyPakistanBACKGROUND:growingpopularityproductsworldwidewelldocumentedaimedinvestigateKAPPakistaniHCPdocumentviewsintegratingeducationscienceMETHOD:simplerandomsamplingconducteddurationtenmonthsPakistan'scities:IslamabadRawalpindiThedatacollectedself-administeredvalidatedCronbach'salpha:71consistedfivesectionsnamelydemographicperceptionintegrationRESULT:responserate9120%500/456participantsincluded160physicians155141respondentsfemales67unmarried60TheparticipatingagreedmodalitiesmaybenefitconventionalsystemLikewiseperceiveddifferenttherapiesaseffectivetreatmentoptionssuggestedelectivecoursessciencesprogramOverall7917%poorPhysicianshighest2563%followed2199%1226%statussignificantlyassociatedageprofessionexperiencepracticep = 0&019CONCLUSION:revealeddespiteoverallpositivelowThereforerecommendsevidence-basedguidelinesrationaleupdatedsyllabiwillassistfutureincreasingprofessionals'toachievebetteroutcomestowardsmedicine:citiesAttitudeComplementaryHealthcarePerception

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