https://www.journaljocamr.com/index.php/JOCAMR <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research (ISSN: 2456-6276)</strong> aims to publish high quality papers (<a href="/index.php/JOCAMR/general-guideline-for-authors">Click here for Types of paper</a>) in the areas of Complementary, Alternative and Integrative medical research. By not excluding papers based on novelty, this journal facilitates the research and wishes to publish papers as long as they are technically correct and scientifically motivated. The journal also encourages the submission of useful reports of negative results. This is a quality controlled, OPEN peer-reviewed, open-access INTERNATIONAL journal.</p> SCIENCEDOMAIN international en-US Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research 2456-6276 https://www.journaljocamr.com/index.php/JOCAMR/article/view/752 <p style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Background: </span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become increasingly integrated into the daily lives of young adults for educational, emotional, and productivity-related purposes. Despite growing reliance on these technologies, their psychological impact on youth mental health remains insufficiently understood.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Objective: </span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">This study aimed to examine the association between conversational AI usage and depressive symptom severity among young adults in West Bengal, India.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Methods: </span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 231 young adults aged 18–25 years using convenience and snowball sampling methods. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data regarding conversational AI usage frequency and usage purposes were also collected. Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square analyses were performed to evaluate associations between AI usage and depression severity.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Results: </span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The mean PHQ-9 score was 11.0 ± 5.78, indicating an overall moderate level of depressive symptoms among participants. ChatGPT was the most frequently used AI platform (71.86%). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a weak negative association between AI usage frequency and PHQ-9 scores (r = −0.113, p = 0.086), which was not statistically significant. Regression analysis similarly showed that conversational AI usage did not significantly predict depression severity (R² = 0.013). No significant differences in depression scores were observed across AI usage groups in ANOVA or chi-square analyses.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Conclusion: </span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The findings suggest that conversational AI usage is not significantly associated with depressive symptom severity among young adults in West Bengal. While AI tools may support productivity and emotional engagement, they should not be considered substitutes for professional mental health care. Further longitudinal and qualitative research is needed to better understand the long-term psychological implications of AI-mediated interactions.</span></p> Tanisa Ghosh Swagata Sarkar Ananya Ghosh Puspen Ghosh Avradeep Ganguly Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-05-27 2026-05-27 27 5 1 12 10.9734/jocamr/2026/v27i5752 https://www.journaljocamr.com/index.php/JOCAMR/article/view/753 <p><strong>Background:</strong> Ethnogynaecological knowledge in Akwa Ibom State reflects a deeply rooted reliance on medicinal plants for women’s reproductive healthcare, yet this indigenous medical heritage remains underdocumented and increasingly vulnerable to cultural erosion.</p> <p><strong>Aims:</strong> To document and quantitatively assess medicinal plants used by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in the management of female gynaecological conditions among the Ibibio, Annang, and Oro ethnic groups of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.</p> <p><strong>Study Design:</strong> Cross-sectional ethnobotanical survey.</p> <p><strong>Place and Duration of Study</strong>: Nine Local Government Areas across three ethnic groups in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, and Etinan (Ibibio); Abak, Ikot Ekpene, and Essien Udim (Annang); Oron, Urue Offong Oruko, and Okobo (Oro); between 2022 and 2024.</p> <p><strong>Methodology:</strong> Data were collected from 184 TBAs using structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Seven gynaecological ailment categories were investigated: amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, menorrhagia, abnormal pain in pregnancy, anaemia, and bleeding in pregnancy. Botanical information including plant family, vernacular names, parts used, and mode of preparation and administration was recorded. Quantitative indices, Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Fidelity Level (FL), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) were computed for each species, and the Jaccard Similarity Index was used to evaluate inter-ethnic knowledge overlap.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 103 medicinal plant species belonging to 49 botanical families were documented. Fabaceae and Asteraceae were the most represented families (8.7% each). Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (69%), and maceration was the dominant preparation method (75.78%). Oral administration accounted for 64.9% of all routes. ICF values ranged from 0.625 (menorrhagia, Annang) to 0.880 (anaemia, Annang), indicating very high cultural consensus across all ailment categories and ethnic groups. Jaccard similarity indices (0.416–0.427) reflected moderate inter-ethnic knowledge overlap, with the highest similarity observed between the Annang and Oro groups. Eighty-one plant species recorded 100% Fidelity Level, confirming strong ailment-specific use. Culturally dominant species included <em>Vernonia amygdalina, Lasianthera africana, Solenostemon monostachyus, Eremomastax polysperma,</em> and <em>Musa paradisiaca.</em></p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The three major ethnic groups of Akwa Ibom State possess a rich, structured, and largely consensus-driven ethnogynaecological knowledge system. The high ICF and FL values across ailment categories indicate culturally validated plant use with strong therapeutic specificity. The study highlights culturally important medicinal species with strong ethnomedicinal consensus that warrant phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological investigation for possible development into evidence-based reproductive healthcare therapies.</p> E. N. Akpan G. Omosun H. I. Udo G. G. E. Osuagwu A. U. Ntukidem Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-06-01 2026-06-01 27 5 13 29 10.9734/jocamr/2026/v27i5753