Kontakt 2018, 20(3):e255-e261 | DOI: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.04.005

Hungarian health care students' choices between complementary and alternative medicine or conventional medicine: A cross-sectional surveyNursing - Original article

Andrea Sárvárya,*, Péter Takácsb, Eileen Savagec, Attila Sárváryd
a University of Debrecen, Faculty of Health, Department of Psychology, Nyíregyháza, Hungary
b University of Debrecen, Faculty of Health, Department of Health Informatics, Nyíregyháza, Hungary
c University College Cork, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Cork, Ireland
d University of Debrecen, Faculty of Health, Department of Nursing Science, Nyíregyháza, Hungary

Introduction: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly being integrated into curricula for health care students. However, little is known about how they choose between CAM and conventional medicine (CM). This study examines how health care students (nurses, paramedics, midwives, health visitors) choose between CAM and CM.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey conducted between April and June 2013. A self-completed questionnaire was administered to undergraduate health care students. The questionnaire was on a 5-point severity scale of diseases, with responses classifying their choices of CAM, CM or their combinations in the medical treatment of diseases. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: Four hundred and seventy one students (response rate: 50.7%) completed the questionnaire. The more serious the disease was, the frequency of choosing primarily CM and secondly CAM increased (from 37.6% up to 59.9%), while it decreased for "only CM" (from 27.8% to 24.8%), for "primarily CAM and secondly CM" (from 27.2% to 11.9%), and for "only CAM" (from 7.4% to 3.4%). The choice patterns of 313 students (66.45%) were examined. Based on these choice patterns, three groups of students were classified: students choosing a combined use of CAM and CM (66.0%); students who believe in CM only and choose not to use CAM (18.5%), and students who basically believe in CM but are open to applying CAM as an add-on treatment based on the severity of the diseases (15.5%).

Conclusion: Health care students' choice patterns suggest that in addition to CM, most of them consider CAM to be an important element of medical treatment.

Keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine; Conventional medicine; Choice patterns; Health care students

Received: January 13, 2018; Revised: March 25, 2018; Accepted: April 30, 2018; Published: October 12, 2018  Show citation

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Sárváry A, Takács P, Savage E, Sárváry A. Hungarian health care students' choices between complementary and alternative medicine or conventional medicine: A cross-sectional survey. Kontakt. 2018;20(3):e255-261. doi: 10.1016/j.kontakt.2018.04.005.
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