The Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Patients Admitted to Dermatology Outpatient Clinic
December 2015
in “
Turkderm
”
TLDR About 30% of dermatology patients used complementary and alternative medicine, mostly women with higher education and income, but 85% still preferred traditional medical treatments.
The study conducted from May 2012 to 2013 with 1,021 dermatology outpatients found that 30.5% used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), with 21.8% using it specifically for dermatological issues. CAM was more popular among women, particularly those aged 30-39, college graduates, and individuals with higher incomes. The most common CAM methods included herbal products, prayer, and megavitamins. While 61.1% of users reported positive effects, 5.5% experienced side effects. Despite a reliance on recommendations from friends and a general lack of knowledge about side effects, 85% of patients still preferred medical treatments over CAM. The study concluded that CAM usage was more prevalent among certain demographics and that there was a need for better patient education on CAM by medical professionals.
