RESIDENTS KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PATTERNS OF USE TOWARDS COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES (CAM)

Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) has soared significantly in the recent years and current evidence suggest that there is a widespread trend for decades. This study intended to discern the knowledge, attitudes, and patterns of use towards the use of CAM. The study utilized a quantitative descriptive survey design and relevant data to the aforementioned aims were collected through self-made questionnaires from the barangays of Cabintan (n=47), Lake Danao (n=50), Tongonan (n=29), Patag (n=46) respectively and all were located in the highlands of Ormoc. Eleven classifications of CAM were listed as utilized by the respondents. Leaf extract (decoction), traditional or conventional massage (hilot), and Herbal medicine/tablets were the most conventional types of CAM across all studied areas, contributing 68% (n= 117), 72% (n= 124), and 44% (n=76) respectively. Moreover, their rampant usage was primarily due to the influence from friends or family members (36%, n=62) and they used it to treat health problems (40%, n= 69). Amongst the diverse diseases equated with the use of CAM, cough (72%, n= 124) and fever (67%, n=115) were the most alleviated. Generally, most respondents displayed an overall positive attitude of all forms of CAM documented in this study in all of the surveyed barangays. Hence, present study recognizes that Complementary and Alternative Medicine plays a vital health care role amongst the residents in upland Ormoc.