Molly Anderson
Research Mentor: Dr. Nikhil Parekh
Mentor Department: Wayne State University, NonUM
Author(s): Not Available
Session: Session 5 (2:00 PM – 2:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 1
Abstract
Integrative medicine is a system of healthcare that connects allopathic medical practices that focus on disease and medications with holistic practices that emphasize prevention, wellness and health. This approach recognizes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit in maintaining health and preventing disease. This project assesses knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards integrative medicine while also exploring its utilization in our society. The research team developed a survey of 46 questions to collect data on both the usage and opinions of a wide range of integrative medicine practices, spanning from cancer research to music therapy. The survey was sent to a small sample for feedback and then revised. The survey was finalized in Qualtrics and the Qualtrics link was randomly shared. The data from the survey was analyzed and then examined further in RStudio to assess statistical relationships and trends. The survey suggests there is a statistically significant distinction between how individuals perceive integrative medicine practices with regards to their effectiveness in preventing lung cancer but not a statistically significant difference between frequency of monitoring cancer-related symptoms across different forms of cancer. The differences among individuals and overall low levels of symptom checking can be harmful. I intend to create a community-focused implementation project in the form of a website aimed to increase the awareness of lung cancer among non-smokers, especially women. This educational website will synthesize current research and public health resources to support broader awareness of the topic. Additionally, a secondary survey will be developed from the results to possibly use in a future project.
