title: Assessing patients' attitudes towards dietary supplements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is currently many over the counter products on the market that exert nutritional or physiological effects on the human body. The differences between dietary supplements and non-prescription drugs are however poorly understood by the average consumer and may thus affect their expectations as to the desired effect produced on the body.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patients' knowledge and attitudes towards dietary supplements as compared to non-prescription drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 335 patients of the Mazowiecki Voivodeship Hospital in Warsaw, Poland. The data were collected from a face-to-face interview using a single and multiple choice questionnaire with 10 questions on dietary supplements. Statistical analysis used the Chi-square (χ2) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of respondents were found to be familiar with the term 'dietary supplements', but had difficulties in classifying these products into appropriate categories. Over 55% do not consider dietary supplements to be foodstuffs and more than 40% considered such products to be drugs. Most respondents thought that the main purpose of taking dietary supplements is to improve nutrition, but over one third expected them to also treat disease. Over 70% declared taking notice to which category the non-prescription products they bought belongs to ie. whether non-prescription drugs (medicinal products) or dietary supplements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many patients mistakenly believe that dietary supplements are drugs and can be used to treat disease and health disorders.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  dietary supplements, opinion on dietary supplements, nutrition, dietary supplement vs. medicinal product.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wierzejska
authors.forename: Mirosław
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jarosz
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siuba
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rambuszek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires