Graduate Research Papers
Availability
Open Access Graduate Research Paper
Abstract
The use of herbal medication is growing rapidly in the United States, but use of herbal medication is not without risk. This is a veritable mine field of health care risks. The federal regulation of herbal medicine as a dietary supplement raises safety and efficacy concerns. The American public lacks knowledge of herbal medicines, often believing that "natural" means "safe". Patients who combine the use of herbal medicine with conventional medicine pose challenges for health care providers. Is the health care provider aware of their patient's use of herbal medication? Is the health care provider adequately educated on the safe use of herbal medicine? Our medical schools, nursing schools, pharmacy schools, and other schools teaching conventional medicine are just beginning to integrate the areas of complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) into their curriculums. It is imperative that present and future practitioners of conventional medicine have correct information on herbal medicine and their use to enable them to have knowledgeable discussions with their patients who choose complimentary and alternative medicine in addition to conventional medicine. This paper includes a review of the literature and discusses the concerns and problems associated with herbal medications. Foundational information is provided to help educate the conventional health care professional on herbal medication topics, and how health care providers can effectively work with and educate patients in this area is discussed. Finally, what is being taught on CAM in various medical and nursing schools is examined to see if students in health care fields are being adequately trained in the area of CAM, and specifically herbal medicine.
Year of Submission
2004
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Division of Health Promotion and Education
First Advisor
Diane Depken
Date Original
2004
Object Description
1 PDF file (49 pages)
Copyright
©2004 Jill deLaubenfels
Language
en
Recommended Citation
deLaubenfels, Jill, "Use of Herbal Medications by Patients in a Conventional Health Care Setting: A Health Education Challenge" (2004). Graduate Research Papers. 4177.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/grp/4177
Comments
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