Investigation of knowledge and use of traditional and complementary medicine of individuals applying to the family medicine outpatient clinic

In recent years, it has been observed that there has been an increase in the use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) practices in the world and in Turkey to ensure the continuation of general well-being and health. The study is a study carried out on 216 patients who applied to Eskişehir Osmangazi University Medical Faculty Hospital Family Medicine Polyclinic between the dates 01.07.2022-01.12.2022. The questionnaire used to collect data consists of 22 questions in which sociodemographic characteristics and information and usage situations related to T&CM applications are questioned. In the study, the T&CM application that the participants had the most knowledge about was found to be leech therapy (hirudotherapy). The majority of the participants stated that they wanted to know more about T&CM. About a quarter of the participants in the study had used a T&CM method before, and the most commonly used T&CM method was found to be cupping therapy. In the study, it was found that the participants most frequently received information about T&CM applications from their close relatives, such as neighbors and relatives. As a result, T&CM methods are important as they are more and more preferred applications. Therefore, evidence-based studies should be increased on this subject, awareness of the society should be increased by informing, and necessary inspections should be carried out to prevent negative consequences. Key Words: Family medicine, traditional medicine, complementary medicine