A pilot study to assess students' perceptions, familiarity, and knowledge in the use of complementary and alternative herbal supplements in health promotion.

CONTEXT According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), use of herbal supplements is increasing and will continue to rise. With parents administering medicinal herbs to children as a preventive alternative to traditional drugs, the research team thought it would be interesting to assess the use of these products during the transition into adulthood through college life. OBJECTIVE This study examined participants' perceptions of, familiarity with, and knowledge of herbal supplements for health promotion. DESIGN The research team invited participants to complete a 13-item Perception, Familiarity, and Knowledge Survey (PFKS). This online survey included questions regarding demographics, perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine, and familiarity with and knowledge of gingko, ginseng, St. John's wort, garlic, echinacea, and cinnamon. SETTING The study occurred at a Midwestern university. PARTICIPANTS Two-hundred and eighty-six college students participated. OUTCOME MEASURES The research team used the Chi-square test of association to examine the class rank (freshmen/sophomores, juniors/seniors, and graduate students) of students (frequency) and their gender in relation to their perceptions of, familiarity with, and knowledge of herbal supplements. RESULTS Chi-square analysis showed that 80.8% of participants were familiar with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (P = .000). Of participants who were aware of the six herbs, a majority was familiar with ginkgo (82.4%), ginseng (96.1%), St. John's wort (78.4%), garlic (98.4%), echinacea (65.6%), and cinnamon (96.8%). Despite students' familiarity with the herbs, 45.1% to 74.1% of the participants were unsure of their effectiveness in preventing disease or promoting good health. Participants perceived the barriers to their CAM awareness as (1) insufficient education (26.0%), (2) a lack of scientific evidence (25.9%), and (3) a lack of trained professionals (17.5%). Many students (85.8%) desired educational courses on CAM therapies, with nutrition professors being ranked highest as the providers of this education by 88.0%. Over 60.0% of participants thought that conventional medicine could benefit from integration with CAM and that medical professionals should integrate CAM into health-care practices. CONCLUSION College students appear to be highly familiar with CAM and herbal supplements but currently have little experience with and knowledge of herbal supplements.