Abstract
BackgroundComplementary and Alternative Medicine use and how it impacts health care utilization in the United States Military is not well documented. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study we describe the characteristics of CAM users in a large military population and document their health care needs over a 12-month period. The aim of this study was to determine if CAM users are requiring more physician-based medical services than users of conventional medicine.MethodsInpatient and outpatient medical services were documented over a 12-month period for 44,287 participants from the Millennium Cohort Study. Equal access to medical services was available to anyone needing medical care during this study period. The number and types of medical visits were compared between CAM and non-CAM users. Chi square test and multivariable logistic regression was applied for the analysis.ResultsOf the 44,287 participants, 39% reported using at least one CAM therapy, and 61% reported not using any CAM therapies. Those individuals reporting CAM use accounted for 45.1% of outpatient care and 44.8% of inpatient care. Individuals reporting one or more health conditions were 15% more likely to report CAM use than non-CAM users and 19% more likely to report CAM use if reporting one or more health symptoms compared to non-CAM users. The unadjusted odds ratio for hospitalizations in CAM users compared to non-CAM users was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.16-1.43). The mean number of days receiving outpatient care for CAM users was 7.0 days and 5.9 days for non-CAM users (p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur study found those who report CAM use were requiring more physician-based medical services than users of conventional medicine. This appears to be primarily the result of an increase in the number of health conditions and symptoms reported by CAM users.
Highlights
Complementary and Alternative Medicine use and how it impacts health care utilization in the United States Military is not well documented
Reporting practitioner-assisted Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies was highest among the following: women, younger individuals, those with a high school diploma or less, those who never married or were divorced, those serving in the Marine Corps, health care workers, healthy-weight individuals, current smokers, those reporting alcohol-related problems, and those reporting having one or more health conditions or symptoms
Individuals reporting one or more health conditions were 15% more likely to report CAM use and 19% more likely to report CAM use if reporting one or more health symptoms compared to non-CAM users
Summary
Complementary and Alternative Medicine use and how it impacts health care utilization in the United States Military is not well documented. CAM therapies include a broad spectrum of ancient to newage approaches that purport to prevent and/or treat numerous symptoms and medical conditions. They are not considered part of conventional medicine,. In a cohort of military personnel, those who reported CAM use reported a greater number of comorbidities and poorer overall health than those not reporting CAM use [15] Findings such as these suggest those who choose CAM therapies may have greater use of both unconventional and conventional medical services [16,17]. Understanding the health care utilization patterns of those who use CAM in a large active-duty military cohort could increase our understanding of the health care requirements of this particular population of patients and help quantify their overall consumption of medical services
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
