Abstract

Background: The use of alternative and complementary therapy is a relief option for a large number of pathologies that affect rural communities where its use is widespread due to accessibility and customs. Aim: To analyze the use of alternative and complementary therapy to relieve. Methods: a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural community of the Ambato canton with a sample of 150 adults and 100 older adults. The Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire HCAMQ was used as a data collection instrument to evaluate a person's attitude towards alternative and complementary medicine. Results: 61.6 % of the population had a good attitude towards alternative therapy, the main type of alternative and complementary therapy was phytotherapy (71.2 %) and the main pathology reported was musculoskeletal (67.6 %), followed by migraine (18.4 %), neurological conditions (9.2 %) and fibromyalgia (4.4 %). Conclusions: the attitude of the research participants towards the use of alternative and complementary therapy for pain relief is favorable, since, in addition to using it, they are willing to try new options because they assume that these types of therapies provide good results, have fewer adverse effects, are low cost and are easily accessible.