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Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Despite the recognition of the importance of physician knowledge and physician-patient communication about the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), few studies have explored this issue. Therefore, this study aims to assess physicians\' knowledge and physician-patient communication regarding CAM.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working at governmental hospitals and primary healthcare centers in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The data collection tool was a validated English language questionnaire distributed using social media platforms. The questionnaire included sections to assess physician knowledge and communication about CAM.
RESULTS: Of the 373 completed questionnaires, around 151 (40.5%) of the respondents stated that they have a poor level of knowledge about CAM, and 272 (72.9%) need to gain additional knowledge to properly counsel patients on CAM. Medical journals were the main source of knowledge about CAM. There were 121 (32.4%) physicians who believed that <20% of their patients use some form of CAM, and 180 (48.3%) believed that <20% of their patients spontaneously reported their CAM use without prompting or direct questioning. Around 180 (48.3%) of physicians believed that they asked <20% of their patients about using CAM. Regarding barriers that limit communication with the patient about CAM, the highest percentage was insufficient knowledge about CAM (137, 36.7%).
CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that a significant number of physicians lack the appropriate knowledge about CAM and most of them agreed to gain additional knowledge to properly counsel their patients. Further research is needed to evaluate physicians\' knowledge about CAM using a more objective method.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working at governmental hospitals and primary healthcare centers in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The data collection tool was a validated English language questionnaire distributed using social media platforms. The questionnaire included sections to assess physician knowledge and communication about CAM.
RESULTS: Of the 373 completed questionnaires, around 151 (40.5%) of the respondents stated that they have a poor level of knowledge about CAM, and 272 (72.9%) need to gain additional knowledge to properly counsel patients on CAM. Medical journals were the main source of knowledge about CAM. There were 121 (32.4%) physicians who believed that <20% of their patients use some form of CAM, and 180 (48.3%) believed that <20% of their patients spontaneously reported their CAM use without prompting or direct questioning. Around 180 (48.3%) of physicians believed that they asked <20% of their patients about using CAM. Regarding barriers that limit communication with the patient about CAM, the highest percentage was insufficient knowledge about CAM (137, 36.7%).
CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that a significant number of physicians lack the appropriate knowledge about CAM and most of them agreed to gain additional knowledge to properly counsel their patients. Further research is needed to evaluate physicians\' knowledge about CAM using a more objective method.
摘要：
背景：尽管认识到医师知识和医患沟通对使用补充和替代医学（CAM）的重要性，很少有研究探讨这个问题。因此,本研究旨在评估医师关于CAM的知识和医患沟通。
方法：对在麦地那的政府医院和初级保健中心工作的医生进行了一项横断面研究，沙特阿拉伯。数据收集工具是使用社交媒体平台分发的经过验证的英语问卷。问卷包括评估医师对CAM的知识和沟通的部分。
结果：在完成的373份问卷中，约151名(40.5%)受访者表示，他们对CAM的知识水平很差，和272（72.9％）需要获得额外的知识，以正确地指导患者的CAM。医学期刊是CAM知识的主要来源。有121名(32.4%)医生认为他们的患者中<20%使用某种形式的CAM。和180（48.3％）认为，<20％的患者自发地报告了他们的CAM使用而没有提示或直接询问。大约180（48.3％）的医生认为他们询问了<20％的患者使用CAM。关于限制与患者沟通CAM的障碍，百分比最高的是对CAM的知识不足（137，36.7％）。
结论：研究表明，相当多的医生缺乏关于CAM的适当知识，他们中的大多数同意获得更多的知识来适当地指导患者。需要进一步的研究来使用更客观的方法评估医生对CAM的知识。
方法：对在麦地那的政府医院和初级保健中心工作的医生进行了一项横断面研究，沙特阿拉伯。数据收集工具是使用社交媒体平台分发的经过验证的英语问卷。问卷包括评估医师对CAM的知识和沟通的部分。
结果：在完成的373份问卷中，约151名(40.5%)受访者表示，他们对CAM的知识水平很差，和272（72.9％）需要获得额外的知识，以正确地指导患者的CAM。医学期刊是CAM知识的主要来源。有121名(32.4%)医生认为他们的患者中<20%使用某种形式的CAM。和180（48.3％）认为，<20％的患者自发地报告了他们的CAM使用而没有提示或直接询问。大约180（48.3％）的医生认为他们询问了<20％的患者使用CAM。关于限制与患者沟通CAM的障碍，百分比最高的是对CAM的知识不足（137，36.7％）。
结论：研究表明，相当多的医生缺乏关于CAM的适当知识，他们中的大多数同意获得更多的知识来适当地指导患者。需要进一步的研究来使用更客观的方法评估医生对CAM的知识。
