Determinants of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use among Patients Attending Outpatient Clinics of Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt: A Cross-Sectional Study

Younis, Eman Ali; Shalaby, Safynaz; Shehata, Walaa M.

doi:10.21608/ejcm.2023.224384.1265

Determinants of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use among Patients Attending Outpatient Clinics of Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt: A Cross-Sectional Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Public health and Community medicine department,faculty of medicine ,tanta university .Egypt

² Dept. of Public Health &amp; Community Medicine , Tanta Faculty of Medicine

³ public health and community medicine, faculty of medicine,Tanta university

10.21608/ejcm.2023.224384.1265

Abstract

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used among the Egyptian population in general and patients in particular, especially during the last few years. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the determinants and prevalence of CAM use among patients at Tanta University Hospitals (TUHs). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the outpatient clinics at TUHs. A systematic random sample of 450 outpatients was interviewed and self-filled an Arabic questionnaire from March 20th to the end of April 2022. Results: Over half (59.6%) used CAM in the past year. The most common forms used were herbal products (78.4%), 70% used products of natural origin, 64% used the Holy Quran and Ruqyah, and diet supplements were used by 46.3%. Old patients, governmental employees (32.8%), and university-educated participants (52.2%) were statistically significantly more users. There were no significantly higher usage rates among females (57.5%), rural (52.2%), married participants (64.2%), and those with enough income (59.7%). Motives were the belief that it has no side effects, is less expensive than modern treatment, religious and social beliefs, and unsatisfactory results with modern medicine (82.8%, 79.9%, 62.7%, and 39.6%, respectively). Seventy-seven percent of the studied patients had a positive attitude toward CAM. Conclusion: A considerable percentage of patients were using CAM, especially herbal products and products of natural origins besides the Holy Quran. Older patients, the absence of side effects from CAM, the failure of modern medicine treatment from the participants’ view, and religious and social beliefs were predictors for CAM use.

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