Nivel de conocimiento y aplicación de la Medicina Natural y Tradicional en adultos mayores

Yusnier Lázaro Díaz-Rodríguez; Rolando Torrecilla-Venegas; Marlon Peña-Crespo; Javier Agustín Molina-López; Luis Amado  Quintana-López

doi:10.1590/SciELOPreprints.2352

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Yusnier Lázaro Díaz-Rodríguez Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana
Rolando Torrecilla-Venegas Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Sancti Spíritus https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7730-0525
Marlon Peña-Crespo Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana
Javier Agustín Molina-López Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana
Luis Amado Quintana-López Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.2352

Keywords:

Aged, Health Services Accessibility, Comprehensive Health Care, Aging, Phytotherapy, Medicine Traditional

Abstract

Introduction: older adults are considered at risk due to the dissimilar vulnerabilities that accompany senescence, hence the application of procedures of Natural and Traditional Medicine is recommended, thus guaranteeing a higher quality of life.
Objective: to characterize the level of knowledge and application of the Natural and Traditional Medicine in older adults.
Material and methods: an observational, descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in a group of older adults belonging to the "Manuel González Díaz" Teaching Polyclinic, Bahía Honda, Artemisa, from September to October 2020. The universe was made up of 150 older adults, working with all of them. The information was collected from a survey. Descriptive statistics were used.
Results: the age group from 60 to 69 years (35,33 %) and the female sex (56,67 %) predominated. 95,33 % (N=143) reported knowledge about Natural and Traditional Medicine, considered therapeutic procedures as useful and effective and affirmed their application. Of them, 100 % reported knowing and applying herbal medicine as a therapeutic procedure. The recommendations of family and friends were the most representative means of acquiring knowledge about Natural and Traditional Medicine (76,92 %).
Conclusions: the level of knowledge and application of Natural and Traditional Medicine in the studied older adults was high. It is necessary to increase in variety the application of therapeutic procedures of Natural and Traditional Medicine and to promote the role of health professionals as diffusers of its usefulness.