Pediatricians’ views and attitudes toward phytotherapy: a cross-sectional survey study

Abstract Background Although interest in herbal products and complementary medicine practices in pediatric patients has increased, pediatricians’ attitudes toward phytotherapy and the factors associated with these attitudes remain insufficiently defined. This study aimed to assess the attitudes of physicians working in pediatrics in Türkiye toward phytotherapy using a structured attitude scale and to identify demographic, professional, educational, and clinical factors associated with these attitudes. Methods This cross-sectional survey study included 206 physicians practicing in pediatric care in Türkiye. Participants were invited through professional communication networks and online platforms using convenience sampling. Attitudes toward phytotherapy were assessed using a modified 22-item version of the Attitude Scale for Phytotherapy Practices. Internal consistency and exploratory dimensionality were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis. Factors associated with the total phytotherapy attitude score were examined using multivariable linear regression analysis. Results Of the participants, 144 were female (69.9%), and the largest age group was 30–40 years (42.7%). Only 5.3% of participants had a phytotherapy certificate, whereas 66.0% reported a desire to receive education on phytotherapy. The mean total phytotherapy attitude score was 75.99 ± 16.79. The modified 22-item version showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.966), and exploratory factor analysis supported a dominant general factor structure. In multivariable regression analysis, possession of a phytotherapy certificate (B = 7.99; 95% CI: 1.76–14.23; p = 0.012), desire for phytotherapy education (B = 14.60; 95% CI: 10.58–18.62; p < 0.001), and frequency of phytotherapy use for oneself or close relatives (B = 5.05; 95% CI: 2.94–7.17; p < 0.001) were independently associated with higher phytotherapy attitude scores. The adjusted model explained 55.4% of the variance in attitude scores. Conclusions Pediatricians’ attitudes toward phytotherapy were associated mainly with educational interest, certification status, and experiential familiarity rather than demographic or professional characteristics alone. The findings highlight substantial interest in structured phytotherapy education despite limited formal certification and support the integration of evidence-based, safety-oriented, and clinically oriented phytotherapy content into pediatric education.