Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35948702›Full record

ArticleWiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)2024

Education of complementary and alternative medicine in adult education centers in Germany: a web-based survey.

Kai-Uwe Ott, Christian Keinki, Lukas Kaesmann, Jutta Huebner

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Kai-Uwe OttDepartment of Cardiology, Kerckhoff-Klinik, Benekestr. 2-8, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany. kai-uwe.ott@uni-jena.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8814-1200
Christian KeinkiDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
Lukas KaesmannDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
Jutta HuebnerDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdult education centers are an important part of health education worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate the courses offered by German adult education centers with regard to complementary medicine and nutrition.

methodsA systematic web-based search was done for the websites of German adult education centers and courses were analyzed considering topics, scientific soundness, and qualification of instructors.

resultsOur search revealed 502 courses, 360 (71.7%) related to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and 176 courses on nutrition (35.1%). CAM courses most often presented methods with a focus on traditional Eastern medicine with yoga and similar mind-body practices (41.9%), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM; 13.3%), and ayurvedic medicine (11.4%). Content concerning nutrition mainly included controversial fasting methods like alkaline fasting, detox diets, and therapeutic fasting (43.8%), as well as Eastern traditional diets from TCM and ayurveda (21.7%). Most of the courses were given by non-medical practitioners (NMPs; 36.4%), while only very few physicians were engaged.

conclusionThere are substantial doubts on the scientific background of many courses offered for lay adult health education. Besides direct misinformation, many courses reinforce alternative and non-evidence-based notions in society. Adult education centers should reconsider the topics of their courses as well as the professional qualifications of the instructors.

Indexed as

Complementary TherapiesCurriculumInternetAdultGermanyHealth EducationHumansNutritional SciencesAdult educationDietHealth literacyNon-medical practitionersNutrition

Identifiers

PMID35948702
PMCPMC11130027

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.