title: Should CAM and CAM Training Programs Be Included in the Curriculum of Schools That Provide Health Education?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the knowledge levels and attitudes of School of Health and Vocational School of Health students toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred thirty-three (333) students studying at the Mehmet Akif Ersoy University School of Health and the Golhisar Vocational School of Health in Burdur, Turkey, were included in the study. Research data were collected by using a survey method based on the expressed opinions of the participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the participants, 69.7% were female and 97% were single (unmarried). Of cigarette users and those with chronic illnesses, 46.8% and 47.8%, respectively, used CAM. Those using CAM were statistically more likely to be female (P< 0.021), to have higher grades (P< 0.007), to be single (P< 0.005), to be vocational school of health graduates (P< 0.008), and to have fathers at work (P< 0.021). While 9.6% of the students thought CAM to be nonsense, 10.8% thought that the methods of CAM should be tried before consulting a doctor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A majority of the students in the study population were found to use complementary and alternative medicine, but that they lacked information about its methods. As a way to address this, CAM should be included in the curriculum of schools that provide health education, and CAM training programs should be given to healthcare professionals to improve their knowledge of CAM. In Turkey, many more studies should be performed to determine nurses' and doctors' knowledge of and attitudes about CAM methods so that they can give correct guidance to society and take more active responsibility in improving patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Expert, Burdur Health Manager, Burdur, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Disaster, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz Say
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Mu˘gla Sıtkı Koçman University, Faculty of Medicine, Mu˘gla, Turkey.
authors.forename: Betul Battaloglu
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Inanc
keywords:  Turkey;  complementary medicine;  disease;  students; applications