THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE PERSPECTIVES AND LEVEL OF FAMILIARITY WITH COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE HELD BY MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN THE RIYADH AREA OF SAUDI ARABIA
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Abstract
Background: CAM, or complementary and alternative medicine, is a widely used form of treatment in many cultures. Examining how well-versed in and how they feel about CAM are the goals of this study among Saudi Arabian medical practitioners working in the Riyadh area. The Parts and Methods: This cross-sectional survey aimed to gather information from all doctors, nurses, and other medical staff working in hospitals in Riyadh and the surrounding governorates using a multistage random sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 306 health professionals employed by 19 hospitals. Demographic details, familiarity with CAM and its origins, and opinions on CAM therapies were among the data points gathered. A whopping 88.9% of those who took part in the study were at least somewhat familiar with CAM. Subjects with a master's degree (85.41%), a diploma (76.67%), or a doctorate (94.74%), had significantly less knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) than those with a bachelor's degree (92.53%) or a doctorate (94.74%), respectively (P = 0.004). After friends and family (29.08%) and the media (60.1%), health educational organisations (14.71%) and other personal networks were the most common places people found information about CAM. The most popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices among participants were acupuncture (55%) and medical massage (61.8%). Prophetic medicine was also mentioned, along with prayer, medicinal herbs, Hijama, nutrition, cauterization, camel urine and milk, and nutritional supplements. The percentages for these procedures were 90.5%, 85%, 76.9%, 70.6%, 61.4%, 55.9%, and 52.5%, in that order. Eighty percent of the doctors were ready to have conversations about CAM with their patients. A growing number of medical practitioners are willing to learn more about CAM and work on developing a positive outlook on it. Religious rituals, especially those linked to prophetic medicine, are more common in the region. Health educational groups should take on a more active role in disseminating CAM knowledge based on scientific evidence. It is critical to centre patient conversations about CAM around methods supported by research.
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