Lifelong learning and the safe use of complementary and alternative medicine

"Research has shown the frequent use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), its potentialities and risks. Aim: To characterize adults’ knowledge and practices of CAM in order to identify the need to develop lifelong learning programs. After obtaining the necessary authorizations, between 1/10-5/12/2021, 115 adults living in Portugal, mostly women with a higher education degree, working full-time, with a monthly income perceived as medium, answered a Google Forms questionnaire on health (self-)care practices (HsCP). Most considered their health as good (44.3%), being satisfied with it (53%). The majority: took some care of their health (60.5%; 28.1% a lot); had no physical (56.1%) or psychological (78.3%) health problem diagnosed by a conventional health care professional. Regarding the extent to which the participants had knowledge of non-conventional health (self-)care practices (NCHsCP), most (39.5%) knew little about it (10.5% had no knowledge). The majority: had already looked for information about NCHsCP (55.8%), was interested in having (more) knowledge about it (77.2%), and had someone close to them who used and/or was using some non-conventional practice - NCP (57%). Only 14.2% had done training in some NCP and 5.3% considered it impossible to reconcile conventional and NCHsCP. The majority (65.8%) stated that knowledge about NCP is important to them as (future) health professionals (not applicable to 26.3%). As for the last time participants performed any HsCP, 30.2% considered it a NCP (19.8% were not sure). In terms of HsCP, 66.7% reported using conventional and NCP. Among those who have ever used any NCP: 47.1% did it with a professional and 34.3% by themselves and with a professional; 45.8% use it rarely; 93.2% had never done it against the recommendation of a (conventional) health professional. Among those regularly (at least once a year) accompanied by one or more conventional health care professionals, 54% had never talked about NCP. Regarding negative experiences with NCP, 89.8% never had any. The minor children of 13.9% had done some NCP (not applicable to 60.2%). Among the health care professionals, 80.2% had no course during their training mentioning NCP; in their professional experience, 64.2% had knowledge of situations in which conventional and NCP were used simultaneously; in the context of their professional activity: 51.9% had recommended, and 40.7% had referred someone to NCP. Even though these preliminary results are not worrying, they suggest adults living in Portugal would greatly benefit from lifelong learning programs focusing on the potentialities and risks of CAM."