title: Pakistani pharmacy students' perception about complementary and alternative medicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess Pakistani pharmacy students' perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the frequency with which they use CAM, and barriers to use of CAM.
  
  
  METHODS
  A CAM health belief questionnaire was administered to 595 students enrolled in a 5-year doctor of pharmacy program (PharmD) in Pakistan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Attitudes of students towards CAM were positive. Lack of evidence supporting CAM practices was considered to be the major barrier toward more students using CAM. A majority of students (79%) agreed that clinical care should integrate conventional medicine and CAM practices. Many CAM-based therapies, such as dietary supplements, massage, herbal medicines, and homoeopathic medicines were used by the students. Significant gender differences in attitude were observed, with male students having more conservative attitudes toward CAM use. A high percentage of students desired more training in CAM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pakistani students exhibited positive attitudes about the value of CAM and most felt that CAM should be included in the PharmD curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Drugs Control and Traditional Medicines Division, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shahzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Farnaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hameed
authors.forename: Safia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Humayun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riaz
authors.forename: Naila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D003479:Curriculum; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D010465:Perception; D010595:Pharmacists; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult