Complementary and Integrative Health Attitudes and Education of Dietetics Students About Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies

Dietetics professionals and dietetics students are often asked about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. The purpose of this survey was to analyze CAM attitudes, knowledge, desire for further education, usage, and sources of information from 90 undergraduate dietetic students at a Midwestern University. Findings indicated that students had favorable attitudes toward CAM; 92.2% believed that CAM should be integrated into conventional medicine, 82.2% hoped to have CAM available in their practices, and more than 92% wanted more education about nutritional supplements and herbal medicine. Thus, incorporating CAM education into undergraduate programs is beneficial to the nutrition and dietetics profession.