BACKGROUND

Traditional and alternative medicine (TAM) is increasingly recognized for its potential to complement conventional medicine. However, its acceptance and perspectives among medical doctors remain underexplored, particularly in Zamboanga City.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the level of acceptance, perspectives, and reasons influencing medical doctors’ willingness or hesitancy to advise TAM.

METHODOLOGY

Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 230 medical doctors from public and private institutions. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data underwent thematic analysis.

RESULTS

74.8% of respondents exhibited high acceptance of TAM, 21.3% were neutral, and 3.9% showed low acceptance. Most believed TAM could enhance patient satisfaction (53.48%) and improve quality of life (62.61%). However, 61.3% reported slight-to-moderate comfort in discussing TAM, and 43.91% rarely initiated such conversations. A majority (55.65%) supported TAM services being delivered by physicians trained in TAM alongside Department of Health-registered professionals, preferably integrated in primary care (38.26%) or hospital-based settings (30%). Willingness to advise TAM was driven by professional development opportunities (58.7%) and improved regulation (57.39%), whereas hesitancy stemmed from concerns about insufficient scientific evidence (65.65%) and lack of regulation (61.3%). Interest in TAM training was high (63.48%), particularly in acupuncture and herbal medicine. Thematic analysis identified key barriers (limited evidence, regulatory gaps, and training deficits) and facilitators (education, policy standardization, research, and educational curriculum integration).

CONCLUSION

Strong interest in TAM integration exists, contingent on training and regulatory improvements. Findings highlight the need for targeted education, policy reforms, and evidence generation to support evidence-based TAM inclusion in Philippine healthcare.

Human ; Complement System Proteins ; Complementary Therapies ; Medicine