Health care and social worker students’ attitudes, knowledge and experience of complementary and alternative medicine and its differences between full-time and part-time students in Hungary

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the attitudes of health care and social work students towards knowledge and personal use of CAM. We also studied the students’ opinions about the integration of CAM into higher education and health care in Hungary. Comparisons were made between full-time and part-time students. Materials and methods: A total of 725 students (601 health care and 124 social work) took part in a cross-sectional survey using a self-completion questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Social work and part-time students’ attitudes were significantly more positive than those of health care and full-time students. The most commonly known CAM practices were massage, relaxation, homeopathy, acupuncture and herbal medicine. The most commonly personally used CAM modalities were massage and herbal medicine. Health care students’ knowledge was higher than social work students in homeopathy, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Part-time students had more knowledge and experience about several CAM practices than full-time students. Most students agreed that CAM should be integrated into higher education and the health care system. Conclusions: Social workers and part-time students are more open towards CAM. The more positive attitudes, higher knowledge and more experience regarding CAM that was found among part-time students cannot be explained by age itself.