Attitudes toward folk medicine among medical students in Poland: the impact of gender, place of residence, and year of study

Background: In light of the growing interest to complementary approaches in healthcare and the widespread use of folk medicine in Eastern European countries, it is important to understand how future physicians perceive these practices. This study assesses the extent to which medical students are prepared for clinical dialogue with patients who use non-conventional methods and examines how demographic (such as sex, age and places of residence) and educational factors influence their views. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to identify attitudes toward folk medicine among Polish medical students and to analyze the influence of demographic and educational variables—specifically gender, year of study, and place of residence on these attitudes. Materials and methods: The study was cross-sectional and descriptive in nature. It used an anonymous questionnaire developed by the authors, consisting of 15 questions grouped into four sections: demographic characteristics, knowledge and perception of folk medicine, sources of information, and willingness to use folk methods in future practice. Statistical analysis was conducted using the chi-squared test (χ²), with a significance level of p < 0.05. The study included 168 medical students from Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland enrolled in years 1 through 6. 58,33% of participants were female, 41,67 – were male. Inclusion criteria: active enrollment in a medical program, age 18 or older, informed consent to participate. Students from non-medical programs were excluded. Convenience sampling was used. The survey was conducted anonymously online. Results: The statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between knowledge of selected folk medicine methods and both the gender and year of study of the respondents. At the same time, the impact of the participants' place of residence was found to be statistically insignificant. The use of folk healers' services among medical students did not show a statistical correlation with demographic variables. Similarly, the analysis indicated no significant relationship between the use of alternative medicine in cases of ineffective conventional therapy and the demographic factors examined. The study confirmed that most future medical professionals believe that folk healers' work conflicts with that of physicians, and this opinion strengthened as students progressed through their studies. Conclusion: The attitudes of medical students toward folk medicine are largely independent of the analyzed demographic factors. However, the primary factor shaping these attitudes is the level of medical education, which results in increasing skepticism toward traditional treatment methods as students advance in their studies.