ABSTRACT
This study examined the views of health academics about the inclusion of herbal medicine content in undergraduate courses. It is cross-sectional analytical study, with a questionnaire applied tonursing, medical and dentistry students in 2011. The study involved248 students, mostly women (69.8%), aged 17-45 years. The students (70.8%) showedinterest in the inclusion of herbal medicine, with no difference between genders (p = 0.757) and 83.1% of nursing, 68.2% and 63.0% of medical and dentistry students (p = 0.019), respectively. The reasons given for this include: expansion of knowledge (35.7%) and finding scientific evidence (16.5%). 84.7% of the nursing students, 84.6% ofthe medical students and 74.7% of the dentistry students (p = 0.166) did not know about the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, with no significant difference between genders (p = 0.333). In conclusion, students favor the inclusion of herbal medicine content in the curriculum, despite being unaware of the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, regulated forthe Brazilian health system.
Students; Health; Medicinal Plants; Phytotherapy; Medical Education
