Mind-Body Therapies Perceived as Most Promising: International Survey of Surgery Researchers and Clinicians on Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine

Because complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM) is frequently used alongside standard perioperative treatments and may offer certain benefits, it is important to understand how CAIM is perceived within surgical contexts. A survey was distributed to authors who had published in surgical journals. A total of 40,074 researchers and clinicians were invited. The questionnaire collected demographic information and explored perspectives on CAIM.

There were 599 completed surveys, and most participants identified as both clinicians and researchers (n = 331, 55.3 %). Mind–body approaches (n = 212, 47.1 %) were rated as the most encouraging CAIM category for surgical applications. Nearly half believed CAIM therapies are generally safe (n = 184, 46.2 %), yet many were unsure about therapeutic benefit (n = 153, 38.6 % disagreed regarding efficacy; n = 169, 42.7 % remained neutral). A large portion supported CAIM-focused investigation (n = 310, 77.9 %), advocated for greater funding (n = 224, 55.9 %), and agreed on the need for formal (n = 215, 52.9 %) and supplementary (n = 246, 61.8 %) training for clinicians. Experts in surgical fields showed strong interest in expanded CAIM education and further research. These findings may assist in shaping educational initiatives and training pathways to strengthen the understanding of CAIM in surgical care.