ArticleBMJ open2023
Cross-sectional survey and Bayesian network model analysis of traditional Chinese medicine in Austria: investigating public awareness, usage determinants and perception of scientific support.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Comprehensive evaluation of the development of traditional Chinese medicine industry in Shaanxi province based on PMC index model.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Utilization, user evaluation, and associated factors of Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques for insomnia symptoms among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Assessment of traditional healers' knowledge and utilization of pharmaceutical equipment and medical supplies in the Amhara region, North West Ethiopia.Pharmaceutical biology · 2024Article
- [Procedures of complementary medicine in rheumatology].Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · 2024Review
- Dynamic predictors of COVID-19 vaccination uptake and their interconnections over two years in Hong Kong.Nature communications · 2024Article
- Review
- Demand and influencing factors of "Internet + Traditional Chinese Medicine" home nursing service for older adult patients with chronic diseases: a mixed research perspective.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesDespite the paucity of evidence verifying its efficacy and safety, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is expanding in popularity and political support. Decisions to include TCM diagnoses in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision and campaigns to integrate TCM into national healthcare systems have occurred while public perception and usage of TCM, especially in Europe, remains undetermined. Accordingly, this study investigates TCM's popularity, usage and perceived scientific support, as well as its relationship to homeopathy and vaccinations. DESIGN/
settingWe performed a cross-sectional survey of the Austrian population. Participants were either recruited on the street (in-person) or online (web-link) via a popular Austrian newspaper.
participants1382 individuals completed our survey. The sample was poststratified according to data derived from Austria's Federal Statistical Office. OUTCOME MEASURES: Associations between sociodemographic factors, opinion towards TCM and usage of complementary medicine (CAM) were investigated using a Bayesian graphical model.
resultsWithin our poststratified sample, TCM was broadly known (89.9% of women, 90.6% of men), with 58.9% of women and 39.5% of men using TCM between 2016 and 2019. Moreover, 66.4% of women and 49.7% of men agreed with TCM being supported by science. We found a positive relationship between perceived scientific support for TCM and trust in TCM-certified medical doctors (ρ=0.59, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.73). Moreover, perceived scientific support for TCM was negatively correlated with proclivity to get vaccinated (ρ=-0.26, 95% CI -0.43 to -0.08). Additionally, our network model yielded associations between TCM-related, homeopathy-related and vaccination-related variables.
conclusionsTCM is widely known within the Austrian general population and used by a substantial proportion. However, a disparity exists between the commonly held public perception that TCM is scientific and findings from evidence-based studies. Emphasis should be placed on supporting the distribution of unbiased, science-driven information.
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