Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Faculty of Medical Sciences University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Chin J Integr Med. 2013 Sep;19(9):650-5. doi: 10.1007/s11655-013-1434-6. Epub 2013 Aug 24.
To conduct a study on attitudes, knowledge, and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies in Serbia. Available data about CAM therapies in the region are scarce, opinions lacking from health sector. Balkan region countries had a delay in issuing national policies on CAM therapies.
The questionnaire used was based on previously validated CAM Health Belief Questionnaire (CHBQ), formulated as 5-item Likert type scale, adjusted for local environment. Health care students and professionals were evaluated. The questionnaire comprehended 10 closed questions on attitudes, knowledge and use of CAM therapies. This survey was conducted in eight cities of Serbia, January 2010-July 2011. A total of 797 participants was included. The second group of participants was 145 healthcare professionals (50 academic staff, 64 clinical staff, 19 pharmacists, 6 other clinical branch specialists and 6 nurses). Data were collected by an interview. Examinees could acquire maximum of 70 points, 35 representing neutral attitude.
Students of dentistry (54.65±6.07) were better informed on CAM therapies than medicine students (50.26±7.92). Pharmacy students (51.16±7.10) accepted low-scientific CAM. Pharmacists scored better than university professors (55.12±6.55 vs. 50.29±9.50). Primary health care professionals had better awareness than pharmacists in dispensing pharmacies. Both groups of participants preferred use of vitamins over any other CAM therapy.
These pioneering efforts in the region exposed weaknesses in CAM attitudes of current and future health care professionals. Nevertheless, awareness on alternative medicine treatment choices is growing among Balkan prescribers. Supportive legal framework would facilitate dissemination of CAM medical practices.
研究塞尔维亚对补充和替代医学（CAM）疗法的态度、知识和使用情况。该地区关于 CAM 疗法的现有数据很少，卫生部门缺乏意见。巴尔干地区国家在制定 CAM 疗法国家政策方面存在滞后。
使用的问卷基于先前经过验证的 CAM 健康信念问卷（CHBQ），制定为 5 项李克特量表，适应当地环境进行调整。评估了医疗保健学生和专业人员。问卷包含 10 个关于 CAM 疗法的态度、知识和使用的封闭问题。这项调查于 2010 年 1 月至 2011 年 7 月在塞尔维亚的八个城市进行。共纳入 797 名参与者。第二组参与者包括 145 名医疗保健专业人员（50 名学术人员、64 名临床人员、19 名药剂师、6 名其他临床分支专家和 6 名护士）。通过访谈收集数据。考生最高可获得 70 分，35 分代表中立态度。
牙科学生（54.65±6.07）对 CAM 疗法的了解好于医学学生（50.26±7.92）。药学学生（51.16±7.10）接受低科学 CAM。药剂师的得分好于大学教授（55.12±6.55 比 50.29±9.50）。初级卫生保健专业人员在配药药房中的意识好于药剂师。两组参与者都更喜欢使用维生素而不是任何其他 CAM 疗法。
该地区的这些开创性努力暴露了当前和未来医疗保健专业人员对 CAM 态度的弱点。然而，巴尔干地区的开处方者对替代医学治疗选择的认识正在增强。支持性的法律框架将促进 CAM 医疗实践的传播。
