“Validación de instrumento sobre prácticas de medicina ancestral alternativa y complementaria en la población 20 a 59 años”

Abstract

Introduction: Ancestral, alternative, and complementary medicine (ACAM) is a set of techniques that aims to restore the body's bioenergetic balance based on traditional and natural methods. Objective: To validate an instrument on ACAM practices in the population aged 20 to 59 years in the Azogues canton. Method: It was a descriptive research, with a sample of 210 inhabitants. A survey on ACAM practices in the population aged 20 to 59 in the Azogues canton was applied. The SPSS 26 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Most people who use these practices have been doing so for over two years. Twenty-one percent use these methods to treat colerín (acute and sudden attack of anger or rage, which may be accompanied by physical disturbances such as difficulty in breathing, headache or abdominal pain, fever, among others), 38% for mal de aire (transient health disorder, suffered especially by children and adolescents of weak constitution, characterized by nausea, pallor, cold sweating, and drop in blood pressure), and the mal de ojo (is a folk illness primarily affecting children, with infants being particularly vulnerable). The most commonly used methods were chiropractic, food medicine, and ancestral-traditional midwifery medicine. Thirty-seven percent use ACAM to prevent and alleviate ailments. Conclusion: ACAM is diverse and complex, and its implementation requires a careful approach. Although it may offer additional options for health care, it is essential to support its usage with solid scientific evidence.