Alyssa Vallier
Research Mentor: Dr. Nikhil Parekh
Mentor Department: Wayne State University, NonUM
Author(s): Nikhil Parekh, Alyssa Vallier
Session: Session 6 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 87
Abstract
Integrative medicine uses evidence-based approaches to treat a patient’s whole person by combining conventional medicine and holistic health practices. This study examined how university students and community members perceive and practice integrative medicine. A 47-question survey was distributed through Qualtrics and covered 7 topic areas: integrative medicine; ayurveda and traditional chinese medicine; mindfulness and spirituality; art/music; biology, cancer, and personalized medicine; diet, nutrition, and (adaptive) fitness; and economics and policy. The survey was distributed to student organizations on campus, friends, and family. Targeted analysis focused on responses to question 42: to what extent do you agree with the statement that “social pressures to eat/drink certain ways makes it easy to maintain a balanced diet in a college environment.†Responses were compared across gender identities through a Fisher’s Exact Test. The test resulted in a p-value of 0.008. Among female-identifying participants, 54% said they somewhat or strongly disagree with this statement, compared to only 11% of male-identifying participants. These findings suggest that women in college environments may feel more pressure from their peers to eat a certain way, making it harder to maintain a balanced diet. To address this, a practical guide titled “Dormroom Diet” was developed to help university students maintain a balanced nutrition in a college environment. Future work could include a targeted survey focusing on specific obstacles preventing college students from maintaining healthy dietary habits.
