Posttraining Knowledge Retention among Licensed Cupping Providers in Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Medical Education
• Public Health

Background:

• Saudi Arabia mandates cupping provider training.
• Training duration varies for physicians and non-physicians.
• Study evaluates knowledge retention post-training.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess knowledge retention 1-3 years after cupping therapy training.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM/MOH) course.
• Identify factors influencing knowledge retention.

Main Methods:

• 62 licensed cupping providers participated in a continuing medical education event.
• Participants completed a 35-question multiple-choice test.
• Follow-up scores were compared to pre- and post-training test scores.

Main Results:

• Significant knowledge improvement from pre- to post-training (p=0.0001).
• Knowledge retention remained significantly higher than pre-training levels at follow-up (p=0.0001).
• Physician status, gender, and experience duration did not significantly impact knowledge retention.

Conclusions:

• The NCCAM/MOH cupping training course leads to reasonable knowledge retention.
• Long-term knowledge retention necessitates refresher courses and continuous professional development.
• Further strategies are needed to ensure sustained competency in cupping therapy.