Dataset Information

Cross-sectional survey and Bayesian network model analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in Austria: investigating public awareness, usage determinants and perception of scientific support.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Despite the paucity of evidence verifying its efficacy and safety, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is expanding in popularity and political support. Decisions to include TCM diagnoses in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision and campaigns to integrate TCM into national healthcare systems have occurred while public perception and usage of TCM, especially in Europe, remains undetermined. Accordingly, this study investigates TCM's popularity, usage and perceived scientific support, as well as its relationship to homeopathy and vaccinations.

Design/setting

We performed a cross-sectional survey of the Austrian population. Participants were either recruited on the street (in-person) or online (web-link) via a popular Austrian newspaper.

Participants

1382 individuals completed our survey. The sample was poststratified according to data derived from Austria's Federal Statistical Office.

Outcome measures

Associations between sociodemographic factors, opinion towards TCM and usage of complementary medicine (CAM) were investigated using a Bayesian graphical model.

Results

Within our poststratified sample, TCM was broadly known (89.9% of women, 90.6% of men), with 58.9% of women and 39.5% of men using TCM between 2016 and 2019. Moreover, 66.4% of women and 49.7% of men agreed with TCM being supported by science. We found a positive relationship between perceived scientific support for TCM and trust in TCM-certified medical doctors (ρ=0.59, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.73). Moreover, perceived scientific support for TCM was negatively correlated with proclivity to get vaccinated (ρ=-0.26, 95% CI -0.43 to -0.08). Additionally, our network model yielded associations between TCM-related, homeopathy-related and vaccination-related variables.

Conclusions

TCM is widely known within the Austrian general population and used by a substantial proportion. However, a disparity exists between the commonly held public perception that TCM is scientific and findings from evidence-based studies. Emphasis should be placed on supporting the distribution of unbiased, science-driven information.

SUBMITTER: Eigenschink M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9990654 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Cross-sectional survey and Bayesian network model analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in Austria: investigating public awareness, usage determinants and perception of scientific support.

Eigenschink Michael M Bellach Luise L Leonard Sebastian S Dablander Tom Eric TE Maier Julian J Dablander Fabian F Sitte Harald H HH

BMJ open 20230302 3

<h4>Objectives</h4>Despite the paucity of evidence verifying its efficacy and safety, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is expanding in popularity and political support. Decisions to include TCM diagnoses in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision and campaigns to integrate TCM into national healthcare systems have occurred while public perception and usage of TCM, especially in Europe, remains undetermined. Accordingly, this study investigates TCM's popularity, usage and per ...[more]

PMID: 36863740

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Dataset Information

Cross-sectional survey and Bayesian network model analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in Austria: investigating public awareness, usage determinants and perception of scientific support.

Objectives

Design/setting

Participants

Outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Cross-sectional survey and Bayesian network model analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in Austria: investigating public awareness, usage determinants and perception of scientific support.

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