The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63743

Debbera Peoples-Lee, MS, Department of Public Health, Temple University, 3401 N. Broad Street, Rock Pavilion Basement - Room 102, Philadelphia, PA 19140, 215-707-7538, peopled@tuhs.temple.edu

The rapid increase in the public’s use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies has exerted a powerful influence on medical education. This has prompted organizations such as the Society of Teacher of Family Medicine and the Association of American Medical Colleges to create interest groups to encourage medical student, resident, and faculty education about CAM and to recommend criteria for and contents of CAM instruction within medical education. However, the views of other health care professional students and faculty have never been assessed in the United States. The results of this cross-sectional study offers new data for assessing and comparing the attitudes, perceptions, knowledge and use of CAM among students and faculty across multiple health disciplines (medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy and public health). Thus, a complete picture of the influences that may impact educational initiatives on CAM, as well as, implications for the future of multidisciplinary health care delivery have now been identified. This study investigates the field of CAM education using the theoretical framework of Diffusion of Innovation, and evaluates both student and faculty perceived needs for and barriers to CAM education, determines their impact on the CAM curriculum development initiative, and predicts their influence on the future adoption or rejection of CAM instruction at Temple University where there is presently no formal CAM course.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify the similarities and differences between student and faculty needs for complementary and alternative medicine education.
• To identify the perceptions of barriers students and faculty have for incorporating CAM education in their curriculums.
• To identify through the use of the Diffusion of Innovation theory, those health care professions that embrace and reject the CAM education initiative.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.