E-ISSN 2231-3206 | ISSN 2320-4672
 

Original Research

Online Publishing Date:
18 / 07 / 2019

 


A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India

Neeraj Kumar Agrawal, Nitin Kothari, Uma Gupta, Sanjay Kumar Verma, Shubham Pandey.


Abstract
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 participant’s 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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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Agrawal NK, Kothari N, Gupta U, Verma SK, Pandey S. A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. 2019; 9(9): 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019


Web Style

Agrawal NK, Kothari N, Gupta U, Verma SK, Pandey S. A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. https://www.njppp.com/?mno=54489 [Access: March 15, 2024]. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019


AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Agrawal NK, Kothari N, Gupta U, Verma SK, Pandey S. A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. 2019; 9(9): 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019



Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Agrawal NK, Kothari N, Gupta U, Verma SK, Pandey S. A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. (2019), [cited March 15, 2024]; 9(9): 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019



Harvard Style

Agrawal, N. K., Kothari, . N., Gupta, . U., Verma, . S. K. & Pandey, . S. (2019) A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol, 9 (9), 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019



Turabian Style

Agrawal, Neeraj Kumar, Nitin Kothari, Uma Gupta, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and Shubham Pandey. 2019. A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 9 (9), 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019



Chicago Style

Agrawal, Neeraj Kumar, Nitin Kothari, Uma Gupta, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and Shubham Pandey. "A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India." National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology 9 (2019), 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019



MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Agrawal, Neeraj Kumar, Nitin Kothari, Uma Gupta, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and Shubham Pandey. "A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India." National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology 9.9 (2019), 893-898. Print. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019



APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Agrawal, N. K., Kothari, . N., Gupta, . U., Verma, . S. K. & Pandey, . S. (2019) A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine among medical students of North India. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 9 (9), 893-898. doi:10.5455/njppp.2019.9.0627129062019