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. 2024 Mar 13:11:1372924.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1372924. eCollection 2024.

Use and acceptance of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in Germany-an online representative cross-sectional study

Michael Jeitler  1   2 , Miriam Ortiz  1 , Benno Brinkhaus  1 , Mike Sigl  3 , Rasmus Hoffmann  4 , Miriam Trübner  4 , Andreas Michalsen  1   2 , Manfred Wischnewsky  5 , Christian S Kessler  1   2
Affiliations

Use and acceptance of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in Germany-an online representative cross-sectional study

Michael Jeitler et al. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Background: Older representative surveys show that Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) is used by about 60% of the German population. However, no data exists for the current nationwide situation. The main aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the current use and acceptance of TCIM in Germany.

Methods: This study is based on a representative sample of the German population aged 18-75 years. Participants were asked about the use and acceptance of TCIM. The survey was conducted online using Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) in 2022 by three renowned German market research institutes on behalf of and in close coordination with the working group. The data set was analyzed descriptively and inferentially.

Results: In total, 4,065 participants (52% female, 48% male, 0.4% diverse) responded completely (response rate: 21.5%). Among participants, 70% stated that they had used TCIM at some point in their lives, with 32% doing so in the last 12 months and 18% currently. The most common reason given (17%) was musculoskeletal pain. For their own health, 39% stated that TCIM is important. Traditional European Medicine was rated as very/mainly effective by 27% of participants and as partly effective by 44% (conventional medicine: 69% very/mainly effective, 19% partly effective). As a complementary treatment strategy to conventional medicine, 35% considered TCIM to be optimal ("Complementary Medicine"), 33% in combination with conventional medicine ("Integrative Medicine") and 5% without conventional medicine ("Alternative Medicine"). The majority of the participants were in favor of more research on TCIM and stated that the costs of TCIM services should be covered by health insurance companies (71% and 69%, respectively).

Conclusion: These results from a representative online-population suggest that the use of TCIM in Germany remains at a high level. The nationwide relevance of TCIM should be given greater consideration in German health care policy making. TCIM should be systematically investigated using appropriate study designs and methods including high quality randomized clinical trials to investigate their effectiveness, efficacy, therapeutic safety and costs in the future.

Keywords: Naturheilkunde; alternative medicine; complementary medicine; cross-sectional study; integrative medicine; online-representative; traditional European medicine; traditional medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

MJ reports grants from the Karl and Veronica Carstens Foundation. MO is a board member of the Berlin Brandenburg Medical Doctors’ Association for Naturheilkunde (Physiotherapy; ÄN e.V.). AM reports grants from the Karl and Veronica Carstens Foundation and Stifterverband der Deutschen Wissenschaft. He receives honoraria for consulting from the Klosterfrau Foundation. BB and its working group were partly funded by the Kneipp-Bund e.V. MT reports grants from the Karl and Veronica Carstens Foundation. CK reports grants from the Karl and Veronica Carstens Foundation for conducting this study. He is a member of the scientific advisory board of the company Bruno Zimmer, board member of the German Medical Doctors’ Association for Ayurveda-Medicine (DÄGAM e.V.) and receives honoraria for lecturing Ayurveda at Sonne und Mond, Berlin. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
How often do you currently use TCIM?
Figure 2
Figure 2
For which illnesses have you already used TCIM? (in %).
Figure 3
Figure 3
To what extent has TCIM helped you with the following illnesses? (in %).
Figure 4
Figure 4
To what extent would you use TCIM for the following illnesses? (in %).
Figure 5
Figure 5
In your opinion, which of the following answers is correct? The costs of TCIM services should be covered by health insurance.
Figure 6
Figure 6
How important is TCIM for your health?
Figure 7
Figure 7
To what extent are you familiar with the following terms?
Figure 8
Figure 8
How is your general attitude toward Traditional European Medicine (German: Naturheilkunde), conventional medicine, Complementary Medicine, Integrative Medicine or Alternative Medicine? The terms were explained directly with this question (see Table 1).
Figure 9
Figure 9
How effective do you think the following medical procedures are?
Figure 10
Figure 10
To what extent do you consider TCIM to be optimal?
Figure 11
Figure 11
TCIM is often described as unscientific. Would you agree with this assessment in principle?
Figure 12
Figure 12
In your opinion, should there be more research into TCIM?
Figure 13
Figure 13
In your opinion, which of the following answers is correct? In my opinion, the main reason for research in the field of TCIM is above all.
Figure 14
Figure 14
In your opinion, who has the greatest expertise in the field of TCIM?
Figure 15
Figure 15
How important are the reasons listed for using TCIM to you (Likert scale 1–5 from 1 = completely unimportant to 5 = very important)? Listed reasons were the following: 1 Fewer side effects than with conventional medicine, 2 To reduce the side effects of conventional medicine, 3 Chances of recovery are better, 4 Family, friends or acquaintances have had good experiences, 5 I myself have had good experiences, 6 This strengthens my health competence/self-treatment competence, 7 The advice of my treating doctor, 8 I have heard about it in the media, 9 I am doing it out of health-related desperation, 10 I am doing it out of curiosity about these procedures, 11 I do not think much of conventional medicine, 12 I have had bad experiences with conventional medicine, 13 Other.
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