Pediatricians' Views on Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Author Information
Author(s): Anju Sawni, Ronald Thomas
Primary Institution: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
What are pediatricians' attitudes, experiences, and referral patterns regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)?
Conclusion
Pediatricians have a positive attitude towards CAM and believe that their patients are using it, but many do not routinely ask about it during medical history.
Supporting Evidence
- 96% of pediatricians believe their patients are using CAM.
- 70% of discussions about CAM are initiated by families.
- 84% of pediatricians want more continuing medical education on CAM.
- 71% would consider referring patients to CAM practitioners.
Takeaway
Most pediatricians think their patients use alternative medicine, but they often don't ask about it during check-ups. They want to learn more about it.
Methodology
An anonymous, self-report, 27-item questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of US pediatricians.
Potential Biases
Response bias may have affected the results due to the low response rate.
Limitations
The study had a low response rate of 18.5% and did not include nurse practitioners or family physicians.
Participant Demographics
Median age 46-59 years; 52% female; 81% Caucasian; 71% generalists.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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