An empirical study on the behavioral intentions of medical centers and regional hospitals in holistic medicine education (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Holistic medicine education is gaining importance in medical training and practice, yet implementation varies across medical centers and regional hospitals. This study examines the attitudes and perceptions of clinical supervisors and postgraduate trainees toward holistic medicine education in Taiwan. OBJECTIVE To compare attitudes and perceptions between clinical supervisors and postgraduate trainees in medical centers and regional hospitals, and to identify factors influencing holistic medicine education implementation. METHODS A cross-sectional survey from July to December 2022 sampled clinical supervisors and postgraduate trainees from two medical centers and two regional hospitals in Taiwan. A structured anonymous questionnaire, grounded in the theory of planned behavior, gathered data. Descriptive statistics and independent t-tests analyzed responses from 703 participants. RESULTS Clinical supervisors showed more positive attitudes toward holistic medicine education than postgraduate trainees. Medical centers exhibited higher perceived behavioral control and medical education behavioral intention compared to regional hospitals. Influencing factors identified included institutional norms, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms, all pivotal for enhancing holistic medicine education implementation. CONCLUSIONS Hospitals should consider identified influencing factors and establish institutional norms to bolster holistic medicine education. These insights aid in crafting effective strategies for promoting holistic medicine education in medical training and clinical practice. CLINICALTRIAL No