Alternative Medicine Attitudes and Practices of U.S. College Students. Part 3
Seventy-five percent of the sample reported participating in vigorous aerobic exercise three or more time per week. Users of alternative medicine were significantly less likely to exercise than non-users. Females, who as noted earlier were more likely to use alternative medicine, were also less likely to exercise. Exercise level was significantly correlated with better self-reported health status.
Amoxicillin online no prescription
This study adds to the extant literature aimed at assessing attitudes of students toward the efficacy and use of alternative medicine. Most of this research has focused on students in the health sciences, e.g., pharmacy, medicine, and nursing. This study has attempted to assess responses from a wider student audience. In addition, most previous studies did not explore individual level variation in the use of alternative medicine, particularly with regard to gender, year of study, or geographical variables. This study fills an important gap.
The results show high levels of advocacy for alternative medicine plus a propensity to identify a need for scientific acceptability and proof of effectiveness. This suggests that these students may be discerning in their use of particular alternative medicines, which have been substantiated by at least some scientific evidence. The relatively minor exposure of students in this sample to any formal courses of alternative medicine (only 6% indicated having taken any courses), lends weight to the call for inclusion of such courses on college campuses (Patterson & Graf, 2000). Compared to previous studies of advocacy and use of alternative medicine by university health faculty (Lamarine, Fisher & Sbarbaro, 2003), support for scientific evidence was similar (93% of faculty vs. 90% students) and use was considerably lower by students (44% of students vs. 66% of faculty) in this sample. In the qualitative analysis, the most frequently utilized alternative medicine practices used by students were similar to those of faculty with herbs ranked first for both groups (21% of faculty vs. 47% of students), dietary supplements were second for students (fifth for faculty), and chiropractic third for students (fourth for faculty), followed by acupuncture/ acupressure.
The relatively high use of alternative medicine combined with conventional medicine may indicate a determination to ameliorate the discomfort and threat of serious illness, as much as a concern for personal health. With more than a quarter of the sample indicating at least one serious illness in the last five years, combined with moderate to high fear of relapse, public health concerns are raised for these young adults, most of whom are only in their third or fourth year of college.