ATTITUDE TO FOLK MEDICINE OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT AGES FROM THE SMOLENSK REGION

Abstract

The article discusses the attitude of people of different age categories in the Smolensk region to traditional medicine. The attitude of the respondents to the methods of traditional medicine was revealed and their opinion was analyzed, conclusions were drawn about the relevance of this topic. Attention is focused on the possible harm of alternative healing, and on the sources of informing the population about the methods of traditional medicine.

Full Text

Relevance. Traditionally folk medicine has been an important part of the life of the Russian people. The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that in our time the methods of traditional medicine are actively used in the lives of different generations.
Target. To learn the relevance of the application of methods of traditional medicine in modern society, as well as to understand the level of trust of the younger generation in traditional medicine. Justify what people trust more: pharmaceuticals or herbal remedies
Materials and methods. 4 questionnaires were created for different age groups: 18-21 years old (4 people), 22-29 years old (8 people), 30-60 years old (47 people), 61 years old and older (24 people). The number of respondents from each age group was determined by the percentage of people of this age in the Smolensk region according to statistical data [1]. The study continued for several weeks, until the required number of respondents were surveyed. Google Forms registration method. Methods of statistical analysis: statistical observation, summary and grouping of statistical observation materials, sampling, correlation analysis.
Results. Relatives are the main source of information about traditional medicine for all age groups. Most of all respondents have chronic diseases and use methods of traditional medicine, regardless of age. Often, sick people delay going to the doctor, and this increases the risk of an unfavorable course of the disease [2]. In addition, more and more often in the media you can find examples of people without medical education, using alternative healing methods, who are treating people, replacing a doctor, and sometimes interested primarily in the commercial side of the issue. Such cases almost always lead to disastrous consequences, discrediting traditional medicine [3].
Conclusions. Based on the results of the study, it can be noted that the objectives of the study were fulfilled: literature corresponding to the topic was found and used in the study, a sociological survey of the population was conducted and conclusions were drawn. The assumption that traditional medicine, despite the intensive development of pharmaceutical science and modern technologies, remains an important part of the life of Russians, was confirmed. An analysis of our survey indicates that in the Smolensk region, the perception of traditional and academic medicine depends primarily on age, which confirms the information available in the literature [4]. Folk methods of treatment are used by people from all age categories, but most often people over 60 resort to these remedies. It can be assumed that traditional medicine will retain its relevance in the future.