Awareness and attitudes towards ayurveda in chronic disease management and related knowledge gaps among UK healthcare professionals: an analytical cross-sectional survey

Chronic diseases account for 74% of global deaths. In the UK, multimorbidity prevalence is projected to nearly double by 2035. Addressing this burden requires a holistic, multidisciplinary approach that considers genetic, lifestyle, environmental, and psychosocial factors. The increasing focus on holistic care has revived interest in traditional and complementary healthcare practices, with a 2013 survey indicating that 23.6% of the UK’s ethnic population utilizes these modalities. Among these practices, Ayurveda has gained significant global traction. Despite the growing popularity of Ayurveda, discussions between patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) remain limited. Consequently, patients often explore Ayurveda centres independently, risking unreliable sources that could have serious consequences on their health. Opening conversations about Ayurveda is crucial to ensure patients are well-informed. These conversations largely depend on the awareness, attitudes, and having the confidence and the ability to signpost patients to reputable Ayurvedic centres. The study utilized a cross-sectional survey to assess UK HCPs’ awareness, attitudes, and training needs on Ayurveda. After a pilot test, an anonymous Google Form was distributed, yielding 147 responses. Cronbach’s alpha for the questionnaire was 0.9261, indicating high internal consistency. Descriptive statistics, Chi-Square Test, and Fisher’s Exact Test were used for data analysis. Of 147 surveyed HCPs, 10.2% were very familiar with Ayurveda, 46.3% somewhat familiar, and 43.5% had little to no familiarity. Herbal medications (59.6%) and dietary interventions (41.1%) were most recognized. Only 10.9% fully understood Ayurveda’s known safety and effectiveness. Most (80.3%) felt unprepared to advise patients on Ayurveda, and majority (83%) had no formal training. Regarding attitudes, 46.2% supported including Ayurveda as a treatment option, and 82.3% thought it should be regulated by the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or the NHS. The majority (70.7%) favoured collaboration with Ayurvedic practitioners. Attitudes about Ayurveda’s role in chronic disease varied, with 47.7% believing it could help those not benefited by conventional medicine. A strong majority (83.7%) supported patient education on its benefits and risks, and most (86.4%) willing to learn more. In terms of patient engagement, nearly half (47.6%) refrained from offering definitive advice on Ayurveda, and only a few (8.8%) referred patients to Ayurvedic practitioners. However, most (84.4%) supported interprofessional cooperation. Key challenges to integration included lack of scientific evidence (55.1%) and limited understanding (44.2%), with many advocating for research (51.7%) and education (45.6%). Ethnicity significantly influenced responses (p<0.001), with Asians showing familiarity but limited understanding, Black respondents displaying more knowledge and support for integration, and White respondents expressing scepticism and a need for regulation. The survey highlights significant gaps in awareness and understanding of Ayurveda among UK healthcare professionals, alongside varying attitudes toward its integration in chronic disease management. Most HCPs expressed support for collaboration with Ayurvedic practitioners and for educating patients about its benefits and risks. These findings underscore the need for enhanced education and structured training programs for HCPs to enable safe and informed discussions about Ayurveda in clinical practice. In response to the identified gaps, an educational video was subsequently developed by the University of Birmingham for HCPs to address knowledge gaps and support informed patient decisions on Ayurveda.