Background: Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing globally and it is much of concern for research nowadays. Although CAM has been practiced in India for thousands of years, there is no literature available on the extent of use, knowledge, attitude, and perception of utilizing CAM services among medical students.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the extent of use, knowledge, attitude, and perception of utilizing CAM services among medical students.
Materials and Methods: It was cross-sectional, observational, and questionnaire-based study, conducted on 387 medical students of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-years MBBS at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India. The data were recorded and analyzed and expressed in number and percentage.
Results: Of the studied subjects, 95.3% had awareness about CAM while 77.3% of participants belief on CAM. About 64.9% student believed that CAM has fewer side effects, but 81.1% agreed that it is effective therapy somewhere. Only 19.4% of students used CAM therapy for the chronic problem, but the majority have taken it for acute conditions. The safety (78.6%) is the main reason to use, and Ayurveda (50.4%) and Homeopathy (35.7%) were the two most common CAMs used in the past. The positive attitude of students toward the inclusion of CAM and Yoga in the medical curriculum was 67.7% and 81.4%, respectively.
Conclusions: This study showed most of the students believed in CAM and used in the past. They agreed with the inclusion of CAM courses in the medical curriculum. Majority of students suggested that more research is required in CAM.
Key words: Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Yoga; Knowledge and Attitude; Medical Students; India
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