Knowledge and Attitudes of Adults Visiting Family Health Centers in Ankara About Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practices During the Pandemic

Authors : Engin Isik, Fatma Nur Baran Aksakal

Pages : 73-82

Doi:10.59124/guhes.1524302

View : 18 | Download : 34

Publication Date : 2024-08-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCAM) among adults before and during the pandemic. This study is a cross-sectional research conducted in 9 Family Physician Centers in 3 central districts of Ankara. The minimum sample size was calculated as 360, and 372 adults were reached. In the pre-pandemic period, the number of individuals who heard about TCAM applications was 234 (62.9%), out of which 83 (35.5%) have applied. Individuals over 40 were more likely to have heard of TCAM methods (p<0.0001). During the pandemic period, 19.9% of the participants applied any of the TCAM methods. The most frequently applied method was cupping (36.8%), and the most frequently declared reason was \"to strengthen the immune system\". The frequency of applying TCAM methods was higher among individuals with chronic illnesses (p=0.026). TCAM methods are frequently utilized by adults in the population. Almost one-fifth of the adults have used any TCAM method during the pandemic period. There is a need for comprehensive studies to investigate the reasons that push people to use TCAM and ensure that the methods are applied by health personnel under healthy conditions.
Keywords : adult, complementary, medicine, pandemic, traditional