Tehran University of Medical Sciences Traditional and Integrative Medicine 2476-5104 11 1 2026 03 21 2234 2234 Hamza Sığırcı Department of Health Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Turkey Oğuz Işık Department of Health Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Hacettepe University, Turkey 2025 07 09 2025 11 27 Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) has a long history and is gaining global popularity. In Europe, official regulations are increasingly shaping its practice. Standardized definitions, country-specific core practices, and reporting guidelines are suggested to enhance study quality. This study aims to identify and evaluate key factors influencing the preference for T&CM services provided by informal providers in Türkiye. The study was conducted in Karaman, Türkiye, among informal practitioners, service users, and experts. A purposive sampling method was used, and data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 20 participants. Thematic analysis was performed using MAXQDA 18 software, with 680 minutes of recorded interviews transcribed and analyzed. Participants had a mean age of 36 years, 75% had an income at least twice the minimum wage, and 62.5% were male. The most used methods were cupping (hijama), chiropractic intervention, and phytotherapy. Factors influencing T&CM preference included contemporary medicine-based orientations, a positive attitude towards T&CM, a positive attitude towards practitioners, religion-based factors, feelings of helplessness, recollections, and experiences, non-serious conditions, and a lack of awareness or education. Understanding these determinants is crucial for healthcare professionals and managers to integrate T&CM into regulated healthcare settings, ensuring safer and more controlled treatment options. https://jtim.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jtim/article/view/2234