Интегративни научни подходи към комплементарната и алтернативна медицина (КАМ) – изследване на концепция, контекст и качество на живот
Integrative Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) - studying the concept, context and quality of life

Summary/Abstract: The integrative research is increasingly relevant in the modern science. It demands transdisciplinary approaches and methods, context driven synthesis of diverse concepts and networking. The presented research project applies these approaches investigating the innovative and intriguing field like complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which is defined as: a group of systems/practices considered outside the field of conventional medicine that are used to treat diseases and/ or to promote health and to prevent diseases. CAM is a hot research topic due to the increased demand which has to induce cost-effective, efficient and evidence-based supply of CAM services. The presented project reflects these global research efforts to reach a balance between the evidence-based medicine standards, the local community traditions and the genuine humanistic nature of medicine. The aim of the project is twofold: 1) to present CAM as an integral part of integrative medicine; and 2) to analyze and disseminate evidence-based CAM regarding health-related quality of life in public health and clinical context. Materials and methods: Mixed-methods including: documentary historiographical method; semantic analysis of the new CAM-terms in Bulgarian; SWOT analysis and synthesis of CAM in Bulgaria; quantitative sociological methods- direct questionnaire (incl. health-related quality of life EQ-5D-3L); graphical method. Dissemination will happen through miscellaneous communication channels: presentations, interviews, publications, posters and flyers, online platforms etc. Discussion and conclusions: The presented project is an inclusion of Bulgaria in the pan-European research CAM-network. Internationally, it will disseminate the results of this integrative research. Further, the mix-methods approach is a stable step towards a research project that investigates the integrative medicine as a new transdisciplinary scientific and applied platform and as a new opportunity for long-term solutions of the healthcare and medical education challenges for the XXI century.

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