Differences in attitudes towards/beliefs on complementary and alternative medicine witnessed between physiotherapists, nurses/paramedics and physicians

Abstract

Background: The change in social order that took place in Croatia in the 1990s made medical pluralism -in terms of coexistence of various treatment options apparent. In spite of the European Commission and WHO recommendations, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) failed to be regulated by the law, even upon EU accession. Materials and Methods:This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards CAM, as well as possible differences in attitudes expressed by physicians, nurses/paramedics and physiotherapists and comprised a total of 325 healthcare professionals affiliated with either private or public healthcare facilities and belonging to one of the three major categories of healthcare providers under study. The study was carried out throughout 2011 -2012, and made use of IMAQ (Integrative Medicine Attitude Questionnaire). Results: A total score seen in the physicians' arm was statistically lower (M 91.76) when compared to that obtained in the nurses/paramedics' (M 97.28) and the physiotherapists' arm (M 97.27). Significant differences in CAM-related attitudes were proven to exist between physicians and nurses/physiotherapists (F=7.853921, p=0.000), but not between nurses and physiotherapists (δ=1.531, p=1.000). These differences boil down to higher criticism expressed by physicians as regards CAM efficiency, especially the therapeutic value of spiritual & intuitive curing methods and osteopathic & laying-on-hands treatments, while significant differences in attitudes towards acupuncture, chiropractic and massage failed to be found. Differences in healthcare professionals' attitudes arising on the grounds of gender (T=-1.411, p=0.159), educational background (F=2.372303, p=0.095) and the number of years in service (F=0.833, p=0.436), failed to be seen as well. Conclusion: Despite the fairly high IMAQ score obtained in the study sample that speaks in favour of a positive rather than neutral CAM-related attitude of healthcare providers under study, the very structure of the IMAQ tool prevents us from the unbiased conclusion that Croatian healthcare providers support CAM. Physicians are far less prone to support alternative and spiritual treatment practices than nurses/paramedics and physiotherapists.

Investigation of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Undergraduate Students: Cross-Sectional Study

“…GETAT ile ilgili sağlık hizmeti alan toplumların tamamlayıcı tıp ile ilgili tutumlarını saptamak için ge-liştirilmiş ölçektir. Ölçek maddelerinin 22'si pozitif (2,3,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,27. maddelerdir), 5'i negatif (1,4,8,9,26.…”

“…25 Sağlık bilimleri öğrencilerinin GETAT tutumları üzerine yapılan çalışmaların sayısı artmaktadır. 19,26,27 Yildirim ve ark., hemşirelik ve tıp öğrencilerinin GETAT ile ilgili tutum ve bilgilerini karşılaştırdılar. 19 Hastaların GETAT tedavileri hakkında bilgi edinme konusundaki artan ilgisine rağmen müfredatları bu konuları kapsamayı ihmal ettiği için öğrencilerin örgün eğitimleri sırasında uygun bilgileri alamadıkları yönündedir.…”

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Croatian Health Studies Students– A Single Center Cross-Sectional Study

“…The use of CAM in healthy population and in patients with certain health conditions has been investigated in Croatia (15)(16)(17). The attitudes of 325 Croatian health workers were investigated and physicians had a more negative attitude towards CAM than nurses, technicians, and physical therapists (18). However, to our knowledge, the use of CAM has not been conducted with health studies students and practicians.…”

Uvjerenje i stavovi budućih zdravstvenih radnika o učinkovitosti komplementarne i alternativne medicine

“…Anketa se sastoji od 6 dijelova koji obuhvaćaju slijedeća područja: Rezultati ovog istraživanja u skladu su s nekoliko ranijih, a ponovno je potvrđeno da većina sudionika pokazuje potrebu i interes prema edukaciji na području komplementarne i alternativne medicine i sve više je onih koji smatraju kako bi se te metode trebale integrirati s klasičnom medicinom, kao i u obrazovni sustav (5,6,7) što je poticaj kako za daljnja istraživanja. Rezultati ovog istraživanja mogu se promatrati i u teorijskom i aplikativnom aspektu sa radovima srodnih istraživanja u svijetu (10)(11)(12), uvažavajući naravno sve metodološke ograničenosti i manjkavosti ovog prikaza, od veličine i načina odabira uzorka, do razine provedene obrade rezultata. Ovo istraživanje tek je prvi korak prema širem istraživanju o stavovima i uvjerenjima o KAM-u kojeg je potrebno provoditi ne samo na studentima, zdravstvenim radnicima ili posebice liječnicima, nego i među pacijentima, te u općoj populaciji.…”