Mapping CAM Research in the UK
Author Information
Author(s): Nicola Robinson, George Lewith
Primary Institution: Centre for Complementary Healthcare and Integrated Medicine, Thames Valley University
Hypothesis
There is a need to develop rigorous research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) to support its integration into the NHS.
Conclusion
The survey identified 80 research-active postgraduate students in CAM across 21 universities in the UK, indicating a growing research capacity in this field.
Supporting Evidence
- 80 postgraduate CAM students were identified across 21 universities.
- 32 projects involved randomized controlled trials.
- 33 projects used qualitative research methods.
- Research activity in CAM has grown from 3 to 15.5 full-time equivalents between 2001 and 2008.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many students are researching alternative medicine in the UK, and found that there are many students working on it.
Methodology
Data was collected through an online questionnaire sent to postgraduate CAM researchers in the UK.
Potential Biases
The snowball sampling method may have led to duplication and an inability to identify response rates.
Limitations
The survey did not exhaustively map all CAM research in the UK and may have missed some postgraduate students.
Participant Demographics
36 students were CAM practitioners, 27 had biomedical backgrounds, and 17 came from other fields like sociology and anthropology.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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