An examination of rational drug use and traditional complementary medicine in patients hospitalized because of gastrointestinal system bleeding

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge levels of rational drug use, the attitudes toward traditional and complementary medicine, and the relationship between these in patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Clinic because of gastrointestinal system bleeding. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 124 patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinic of a training and research hospital with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding between 10.07.2022 and 10.12.2022. An information form including demographic and clinical characteristics, the Rational Drug Use Scale (RDUS), and the Complementary, Alternative, and Conventional Medicine Attitudes Scale (CACMAS) were applied to the patients. The data obtained were analyzed statistically using SPSS vn. 23.0 software. Results: For the whole sample of patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal system bleeding, the mean RDUS points were determined to be 19.8±4.17 and the mean total CACMAS points were 96.76±15. In the subscales of the CACMAS, the mean points were determined to be 28.15±9.42 for philosophical congruence with complementary medicine, 23.23±10.39 for dissatisfaction with conventional medicine, and 45.38±8.18 for holistic balance. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between rational drug use and dissatisfaction with conventional medicine (p≤0.001), and a statistically significant positive correlation was found between rational drug use and holistic balance (p≤0.001). A backward-step regression analysis was performed to measure the relationship between rational drug use and the three quantitative variables of the CACMAS. The linear equation of the relationship to the second model was found to be statistically significant (p≤0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that rational drug use was low and that rational drug use had a proportionate effect on holistic balance in patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinic because of gastrointestinal bleeding.