Knowledge, attitude and use of complementary and alternative medicine among nurses: A systematic review

Abbas Balouchi; Gholamhossein Mahmoudirad; Marie Hastings-Tolsma; Seyed Afshin Shorofi; Hosien Shahdadi; Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad

doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.02.008

Knowledge, attitude and use of complementary and alternative medicine among nurses: A systematic review

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 May:31:146-157. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.02.008. Epub 2018 Feb 10.

Authors

Abbas Balouchi¹, Gholamhossein Mahmoudirad², Marie Hastings-Tolsma³, Seyed Afshin Shorofi⁴, Hosien Shahdadi⁵, Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad⁶

Affiliations

¹ Nursing and Midwifery School, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran; Student Research Committee, Nursing and Midwifery School, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
³ Nurse Midwifery, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Baylor University, Dallas, TX, USA; University of Johannesburg, Department of Nursing Science, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁴ Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
⁵ Department of Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery School, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran. Electronic address: Shahdadi@zbmu.ac.ir.
⁶ Nursing and Midwifery School, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran.

PMID: 29705447
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.02.008

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature to describe the knowledge, attitude and practice of CAM by nurses.

Methods: Three databases were searched for relevant studies from launch through September of 2017 and included MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of science.

Results: The average knowledge of CAM therapies by nurses was 62.2% with attitude about use averaging 65.7%. Close to two-thirds (65.9%) reported use of CAM therapies with patients. The primary reasons nurses suggested use of CAM were for stress and anxiety reduction and health improvement.

Conclusion: Current evidence demonstrates the need for nurse education programs to integrate and strengthen CAM content into existing curricula. Similarly, documentation of the nature and extent of nurse use of CAM therapies in the clinical setting, as well as patient-reported use and preferences for CAM therapies, would provide valuable prospective data.

Keywords: Attitude; Complementary therapies; Knowledge; Nurses; Systematic review.

Publication types

Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Attitude of Health Personnel*
Complementary Therapies / statistics & numerical data*
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
Humans
Nurses*
Practice Patterns, Nurses'*
Prospective Studies