Cypriot nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards alternative medicine.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate Cypriot nurses' knowledge and attitude towards alternative treatments.


METHODS
Two hundred randomly selected registered Nurses from public hospitals in Cyprus were administered an anonymous self-report questionnaire with closed-type questions. The particular questionnaire has previously been used in similar surveys. Six questions referred to demographic data and 14 questions to attitudes and knowledge towards alternative medicine. One hundred and thirty-eight questionnaires were adequately completed and evaluated. Descriptive and inferential statistics was performed. SPSS 17.0 was used. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.


RESULTS
Over 1/3 of our sample nurses reported that they had turned to some form of alternative treatment at some point in their lives in order to deal with a certain medical situation. Most of these nurses who reported some knowledge on specific alternative treatment methods, (75.9%) also reported using such methods within their clinical practice. The nurses who had received some form of alternative treatment reported using them more often in their clinical practice, in comparison to those who had never received such treatment (Mann-Whitney U = 1137, p = 0.006). The more frequently nurses used alternative treatment in their clinical practice, the more interested they got in expanding their knowledge on the subject (Pearson's r = 0.250, p = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Most nurses are familiar with alternative medicine and interested in expanding their knowledge on subject, despite the fact that they do not usually practice it. Special education and training as well as legislative actions are necessary for alternative medicine to be broadly accepted.
University of Nikosia, Makedonitissas 46, Nicosia 1700, Cyprus. Electronic address: zoeroupa@yahoo.gr.
Roupa
R
Zoe
European University of Cyprus, Cyprus.
Charalambos
C
Charalambous
Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece.
Sotiropoulou
S
Popi
General Hospital of Korinthos, Greece.
Rekleiti
R
Maria
General Hospital of Lamia, Greece.
Vasilopoulos
V
Aris
Health Center of Salamina, Greece.
Koulouri
K
Agoritsa
Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, Greece.
Kotrotsiou
K
Evangelia
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology*; D003535:Cyprus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
Alternative medicine; Attitudes; Nurse