Table 2

Knowledge and Confidence scores by demographic and practice characteristics.
Characteristic
 % Knowledge Items Answered Correctly
 P value*
 Confidence Scale (Range 19,95)
 P value*
Overall mean
 65.8 ± 10.7
52.5± 18.2
Profession (note 1†)
<.001
<.001
     Physician/PA
 70.3 ± 9.8
55.5 ± 18.5
     Nurse
 64.9 ± 9.3
54.2 ± 18.5
     Nutritionist
 68.1 ± 9.4
59.2 ± 17.3
     Pharmacist
 70.7 ± 10.2
59.8 ± 15.8
     Student
 60.5 ± 10.5
44.6 ± 15.7
Gender
.39
.30
     Males
 65.3 ± 11.3
51.5 ± 18.2
     Females
 66.0 ± 10.4
52.9 ± 18.2
Age (years) (note 2†)
<.001
<.001
     ≤30
 61.8 ± 10.6
46.0 ± 16.4
     31–40
 69.4 ± 9.6
53.4 ± 16.6
     41–50
 68.6 ± 9.8
57.5 ± 18.9
     >50
 66.4 ± 10.1
55.1 ± 18.4
Practice


<.001
     Faculty/In Practice
 68.2 ± 10.0
 <.001
 56.6 ± 18.5
     Trainees
 62.5 ± 10.6
46.9 ± 16.3
Seen patients in last 30 days
<.001
<.001
     Yes
 67.6 ± 10.0
54.4 ± 18.0
     No
 61.8 ± 10.9
48.6 ± 18.2
Reside in North Carolina
.42
<.001
     Yes
 66.1 ± 9.6
54.6 ± 17.9
     No
 65.5 ± 11.5
50.7 ± 18.4
Use of HDS in past week
 (note 3 †)
 <.001

     No
 63.6 ± 10.8
52.0 ± 20.2
 <.001
     1–3
 63.7 ± 10.6
50.7 ± 19.4
     4–8
 66.4 ± 10.4
52.1 ± 16.0
     ≥9
 70.0 ± 9.7
56.4 ± 17.3

Note 1: Pairwise comparisons among the 5 professional groups for Knowledge: Students less than all others, P <.001. Nurses less than other professions, all P ≤ .001. Nutritionist less than Physicians, P = .02. Pairwise comparisons among the 5 professional groups for Confidence: Students less than each profession, P <.001; Nurses less than Dietitians (P =.004) and Pharmacists (P = .029); Physicians less than Dietitians, P = .03.

Note 2: Pairwise comparisons among the 4 age groups for Knowledge: ≤ 30 years old less than the other age groups, all P <.001; 31–40 and 41 – 50 greater than over 50 years old, P<0.05. Pairwise comparisons among the 4 age groups for Confidence: ≤ 30 years old less than the other age groups, all P <.001; 31–40 less than 41–50, P = .026.

Note 3: Pairwise comparisons among the 4 herb/supplement use groups for Knowledge: None and 1–3 less than 4–8 and ≥ 9, all P ≤ .003; 4–8 less than ≥ 9, P <.001. Pairwise comparisons among the 4 herb/supplement use groups for Confidence: None, 1–3, and 4–8 less than ≥9, all P ≤ .008.

*Kruskal Wallis Test for initial multiple group analysis; Mann Whitney U tests for two-group comparisons (same results obtained with T tests).

† Pairwise comparisons analyzed using Mann Whitney U tests

Kemper et al. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2006 6:15   doi:10.1186/1472-6882-6-15