Contemporary challenges in researching the phenomenon of using alternative forms of therapy

Abstract

Objectives The aim of the work is to show the attitudes toward phenomenon of alternative forms of therapy (CAM) as a challenge for modern science, especially social and health science. An important issue is the presentation of the determinants and socio-cultural context of the phenomenon. The aim of the research was to determine the extent of the prevalence of the use of CAM and the purposes for which they are used. The research purpose was also to determine which types of therapy are most often chosen and to check whether people using them and not using them differ in terms of the severity of health attitudes, e.g. such as belief in the integration of body and mind, a sense of holistic balance, and so on. Material and methods The research was conducted on a group of Polish respondents (N = 599). The tools used were a survey and the Complementary, Alternative and Conventional Medicine Attitudes Scale (CACMAS) questionnaire by T. Hernandez, K. McFadden and T. Ito, which was adapted to Polish conditions together with the verification of its psychometric properties. Results Over 40% of respondents admit that they use CAM, with biological, manual and Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies being the most popular on average. CAMs are most often used for prevention, treatment and well-being purposes. There are significant differences among CAM users and non-users in terms of attitudes favourable to CAM, beliefs about their credibility and attitudes of belief in the integration of body and mind, as well as dissatisfaction with experiences with conventional medicine. Conclusions The research shows the high prevalence of the use of CAM in the studied Polish sample. The results show that there is an urgent need to study people's needs and expectations regarding health services.

Keywords

• psychometric properties
• complementary and alternative medicine
• health attitudes
• alternative therapies
• holistic balance