| Abstract [eng] |
Master’s Thesis by Gabija Lukošiūtė, supervisor – Lect. Dr. Kostas Ivanauskas, Study Program of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 5th course, 2023. Title of the thesis. Attitudes and Knowledge of Health Professions Students on the Combined Use of Chemical and Herbal medicine. Aim of research. To find out the attitudes and evaluate the knowledge of Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine health professions (pharmacy) students towards the combined use of chemical and herbal medicines. Research tasks. 1. To review the consumption characteristics of Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine health professions (pharmacy) students towards the combined use of chemical and herbal medicines. 2. To evaluate the knowledge of Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine health professions (pharmacy) students towards the combined use of chemical and herbal medicines. 3. To review the attitudes of Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine health professions (pharmacy) students towards the combined use of chemical and herbal medicines. Methods. The method of quantitative research - questionnaire survey - was chosen for the research. Research participants. Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine health professions (pharmacy) students. Results of research. The majority of health professions (pharmacy) students prefer to use chemical medicines for first aid when they are ill, most students take medicines less than once a month, and pay attention to the ingredients and possible interactions between medicines. Students knowledge of possible interactions between herbs and chemical active substances was found to be varied. Knowledge depended on the course in which the respondents study and the level of achievement (p<0.05). In the first question, students answered only 1 out of 5 statements correctly and in the second question, students answered 4 out of 5 statements correctly. When evaluating students attitudes, the results showed that gender and course had an influence on the choice of some answers (p<0.05). Conclusions. 1. A survey of health professions (pharmacy) students showed that respondents prefer chemical medicines when they are ill. The majority of students indicated that they use both herbal and chemical medicines less than once a month, but about one fifth indicated that they use chemical medicines at least once a week. Interestingly, when taking medicines, the vast majority of respondents indicated that they pay attention to the ingredients of the medicines and possible interactions between the products. 2. The analysis of the knowledge of the respondents shows that knowledge of potential interactions is not at the same level, older students clearly having a better knowledge. The highest number of correct answers to the first question on possible interactions was observed among third year students, while the lowest number of correct answers was observed among first year students. For the second question on possible interactions, the highest number of correct answers was observed among third and fifth year students, the lowest among first year students. 3. Summing up the research, it can be said that future pharmacists do not have a strong opinion about chemical and herbal medicines and are ambivalent: they admit that they lack knowledge about these two groups of medicines or their interactions, but they are also not attached to only chemical medicines, they do not agree that herbal medicines are ineffective, but also does not think that herbal medicines should be the first choice medicines. |
