Knowledge of Complementary Medicine and Therapies Among Family Physicians and the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Background: Complementary Medicine and Therapies (CMTs) are increasingly used worldwide, particularly in Saudi Arabia, due to growing interest in holistic and integrative healthcare. However, concerns regarding safety, regulatory awareness and evidence-based use persist, while comparative knowledge data between family physicians and the general population remain limited. This study aimed to compare knowledge of CMTs between family physicians and the general population in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional analysis was conducted using two independent datasets collected in Saudi Arabia from a total of 1307 participants. Variables related to the participants' demographic characteristics, and their knowledge of and information sources on CMTs, were harmonised prior to analysis. Between-group comparisons were performed using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The family physicians demonstrated significantly higher levels of knowledge of CMTs than the general population. While 35.5% of the physicians demonstrated good knowledge levels, 82.0% of the public participants exhibited poor or low knowledge. However, knowledge of regulatory and quality control measures governing CMTs remained limited among both the physicians (21.0%) and the public (24.6%). Both the physicians (66.1%) and the members of the public (34.8%) primarily relied on healthcare professionals as major sources of information on CMTs. Significant associations were observed between the participant group and the knowledge-related variables, overall knowledge levels and information sources (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Strengthening public education, physician training and regulatory awareness may support safer and more evidence-based integration of CMTs within healthcare systems.