Explore : the journal of science and healing
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In 2002 the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) created a fourth-year medical student elective known as the Humanistic Elective in alternative medicine, Activism, and Reflective Transformation (HEART) that provided the opportunity for students to explore humanism in medicine, self-care, complementary and alternative medicine modalities, communication, activism, and community building in a four-week immersion experience. The educational effects of this elective, and whether it has met its stated goals, are unknown. ⋯ The majority of HEART graduates endorse learning important skills and benefiting from the experience both personally and professionally. Aspects of the HEART curriculum may help training programs teach professionalism and improve trainee well-being.
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Little is known about the incorporation of integrative medicine (IM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into family medicine residency programs. ⋯ While many RDs are aware of the STFM CAM/IM competencies and acknowledge their role in residence education, there are many barriers that prevent residencies from implementing the STFM CAM/IM competencies.
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Comparative Study
Characteristics of exclusive users of mind-body medicine vs. other alternative medicine approaches in the United States.
Persons using one group of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may differ in important ways from users of other CAM therapies. ⋯ Among CAM users (N = 83,013,655), 21.8% of the adult population (age 18 or older) reported using exclusive MBM therapy. In multivariate models, exclusive MBM use was associated with female gender, higher educational attainment, younger age, residing in Northeast US, being Asian or black race, and a current smoker compared to those using exclusive non-vitamin natural products. Using bivariate comparisons, individuals that exclusively used MBM were more likely to be white females (60.5%), in a younger age category (18-39 years), educated beyond high school (68.3%), and more likely from the Southern US (32.4%). A greater level of depression in MBM users was noted compared to non-vitamin natural product users (6.6%).
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Clinical Trial
Spiritual care of cancer patients by integrated medicine in urban green space: a pilot study.
Psycho-oncological care, including spiritual care, is essential for cancer patients. Integrated medicine, a therapy combining modern western medicine with various kinds of complementary and alternative medicine, can be appropriate for the spiritual care of cancer because of the multidimensional characteristics of the spirituality. In particular, therapies that enable patients to establish a deeper contact with nature, inspire feelings of life and growth of plants, and involve meditation may be useful for spiritual care as well as related aspects such as emotion. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of spiritual care of cancer patients by integrated medicine in a green environment. ⋯ It is indicated that integrated medicine performed in a green environment is potentially useful for the emotional and spiritual well-being of cancer patients.