Volume 26, Issue 129, November 2022

Interest and practice of complementary and alternative medicine among the physicians working at primary health care centres of Qassim Province

Hala Saleh Mohammed AlZuyaydi^1♦, Chandra Sekhar Kalevaru²

¹Family Medicine R2 Resident, Family Medicine Academy, Qassim Health Cluster, Qassim Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
²Professor of Community Medicine, Trainer at Family Medicine Academy, Qassim Health Cluster, Qassim Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Family Medicine R2 Resident, Family Medicine Academy, Qassim Health Cluster, Qassim Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: In the recent past, there is increase demand of alternative and complimentary medicine (CAM) use increased among the patients globally. During our regular practice at Primary health care centres (PHCC), some patients are requesting us to prescribe and discussing about certain products of CAM. This could be due to advertisements on the television and information from other sources. The present study was planned with the objective of opinions, interest and practice of physicians about CAM use for their patients. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among the physicians working at the PHCC and all family medicine residents enrolled at Family Medicine academy. During COVID 19 pandemic, questionnaire distributed through google forms and 261 physicians responded. Data was analysed with statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Necessary statistical tests were applied. Results: In the present study, female physicians were 85%. About 75% of PHC physicians up to the age of 30 years and mean age were 29 years. In the current study, about 61.7% were prescribing CAM to their patients at PHCC and also observed 40.6% were prescribed CAM for the self purpose. There was no significant association was observed with CAM practice with gender, qualification of physician, position of physician, marital status and nationality (P>0.05). Conclusions: There was increased use of CAM to their patients in the study. One of the limitations of the study was type of CAM product, duration and frequency such product details not taken. Need further studies are required to substantiate the present study findings.

Keywords: PHC physicians, CAM, Physician opinions about CAM, Saudi Arabia.

Medical Science, 2022, 26, ms480e2389

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v26i129/ms480e2389

Published: 21 November 2022