Japanese midwives' education, and use of complementary therapies in practice: A qualitative study.

The efficacy paradox in randomized controlled trials of CAM and elsewhere: beware of the placebo trap.

Complementary/Alternative Medicine for Asthma: We Do Not Know What We Need To Know

Despite novel multimodal therapeutic approaches, the vast majority of glial tumors are not curable. Patients may search for complementary therapies in order to contribute to the fight against their disease or to relieve symptoms induced by their brain tumor. The extent of the use of complementary or alternative therapies, the patients' rationale behind it, and the cost of complementary therapy for gliomas are not known. We used a questionnaire and the database of the German Glioma Network to evaluate these questions. A total of 621 questionnaires were available for evaluation from patients with glial tumors of WHO grades II to grade IV. The patients were recruited from 6 neuro-oncologic centers in Germany. Complementary therapy was defined as methods or compounds not used in routine clinical practice and not scientifically evaluated. Forty percent of the responding patients reported the use of complementary therapies. Significant differences between the group of complementary therapy users and nonusers were seen with respect to age (younger > older), gender (female > male), and education (high education level > low education level). The motivation for complementary therapy use was not driven by unsatisfactory clinical care by the neuro-oncologists, but by the wish to add something beneficial to the standard of care. In clinical practice, patients' use of complementary therapies may be largely overseen and underestimated. The major motivation is not distrust in conventional therapies. Neuro-oncologists should be aware of this phenomenon and encourage an open but critical dialogue with their patients.

ED staff members’ personal use of complementary therapies and their recommendations to ED patients: A southeastern US regional survey

The use of complementary and alternative therapies by children with cancer is common. Up to 84% of children have used complementary therapies along with conventional medical treatment for cancer. We reviewed the PubMed and CINAHL databases for studies published between 1994 and 2004 on the use of complementary and alternative therapies by children with cancer and reports from any publication year through 2004 of clinical trials involving complementary and alternative therapies for children with cancer. Fourteen studies were retrieved reporting the results of survey or interview data collected from parents on children's use of complementary and alternative therapies during or after childhood cancer. Across studies, the use of such therapies ranged from 31% to 84%. Common reasons for using complementary and alternative therapies were to do everything possible for their child, to help with symptom management, and to boost the immune system. Many parents indicated they also hoped to treat or cure the cancer. In most cases, the child's treating physician had not been informed of the child's use of complementary and alternative therapies. Use of complementary therapies by children with cancer is common, although methodological variations limit the ability to compare results across studies. Treating physicians often do not know the child is using complementary therapies in addition to medical treatments. The scientific evidence is limited regarding the effects and mechanisms of action of complementary or alternative therapies, but research is being conducted on these topics.

BackgroundComplementary medicines (CMs) are widely used by women. Although, women in Australia are frequent users of CM, few studies have examined their utilisation by women attending a family planning service. The aim of this study was to examine (i) the extent of and type of CM, (ii) women’s views about safety and efficacy, and (iii) the factors influencing women’s decision-making.MethodsA cross-sectional survey using a convenience sample of 221women aged greater than 18 years attending a family planning (FP) service was undertaken over a two week period in Sydney, Australia. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was designed to examine women’s current and previous use of CMs, their attitudes towards safety and effectiveness, the factors influencing their decision-making, and their disclosure of CM use to a FP health professional. Demographic questions were designed to describe the diversity of the participants. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between CM use and demographics.ResultsSixty-seven percent of women surveyed were currently using CMs, and 83% reported use during the previous 12 months. Most respondents utilised CMs to maintain their general health or for prevention of ill health. Over 30% of women lacked information to make an informed response to questions examining their views about the safety of CMs. Forty-four percent of participants stated they discussed their use of CMs with their FP providers. The main reason why women did not mention CMs was they did not see the relevance to their consultation (43%). Lower rates of CM use were found for younger women (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09-0.61), and those not completing high school (OR 0.44, 95% 0.20-1.00).ConclusionThe use of CM is very common among women attending an Australian FP clinic, however our findings may not be generalisable to all women. We identified a notable gap in women’s awareness of the potential for interactions between CM and prescribed medication. Our findings also emphasise the need for healthcare providers to initiate discussions with clients about their utilisation of CM.

Alternative and Complementary TherapiesVol. 10, No. 1 LiteratureWatchLiteratureWatchPublished Online:5 Jul 2004https://doi.org/10.1089/107628004772830429AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail "LiteratureWatch." , 10(1), pp. 52–53FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byUnderstanding the Attitudes of Patients with Cancer Toward Complementary and Alternative Therapies Gil Bar-Sela, Sara Danos, Bella Visel, and Inbal Mitnik3 May 2016 | Journal of Palliative Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 5Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Breast Cancer Prognosis: A Pooled Analysis of Four Population-Based Studies of Breast Cancer Survivors Rayna Kim Matsuno, Ian S. Pagano, Gertraud Maskarinec, Brian F. Issell, and Carolyn C. Gotay4 December 2012 | Journal of Women's Health, Vol. 21, No. 12Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Patients: Classification Criteria Determine Level of Use Agnete Egilsdatter Kristoffersen, Vinjar Fønnebø, and Arne Johan Norheim6 November 2008 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 8Experience of Proximate Spiritual Healing in Women with Breast Cancer, Who Are Receiving Long-Term Hormonal Therapy Fiona Barlow, George T. Lewith, and Jan Walker9 April 2008 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 3Ginkgo biloba is not a smart drug: an updated systematic review of randomised clinical trials testing the nootropic effects ofG. biloba extracts in healthy people1 January 2007 | Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, Vol. 22, No. 5Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Breast Cancer Survivors Alicia K. Matthews, Sarah A. Sellergren, Dezheng Huo, Marcy List, and Gini Fleming29 June 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 5Modifiable Risk Factors for Breast Cancer Recurrence: What Can We Tell Survivors? Sandra A. Norman, Sheryl L. Potashnik, Mary Lou Galantino, Angela M. De Michele, Lauren House, and A. Russell Localio27 March 2007 | Journal of Women's Health, Vol. 16, No. 2Acupuncture Use in the United States: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey Adam Burke, Dawn M. Upchurch, Claire Dye, and Laura Chyu13 September 2006 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 7Levels of Commitment: Exploring Complementary Therapy Use by Women with Breast Cancer Lynda G. Balneaves, Joan L. Bottorff, T. Gregory Hislop, and Carol Herbert30 June 2006 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 5Coping in Women with Breast Cancer in Complementary and Conventional Care Over 5 Years Measured by the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale Marianne Carlsson, Maria Arman, Marie Backman, and Elisabeth Hamrin1 July 2005 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 11, No. 3 Volume 10Issue 1Feb 2004 To cite this article:LiteratureWatch.Alternative and Complementary Therapies.Feb 2004.52-53.http://doi.org/10.1089/107628004772830429Published in Volume: 10 Issue 1: July 5, 2004PDF download

Alternative and complementary nutritional therapies in cancer prevention and treatment: implications in clinical practice

The popularity of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) has been increasing in Australia and high levels of CAM use have been documented among people with chronic conditions. Yet little is known about how people with chronic disease manage their continuing need for medical care and make decisions about using CAM and/or conventional medicines. This thesis describes the use of CAM among people in Victoria, Australia, with two common chronic conditions, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Using both qualitative (n=88) and quantitative (n=2,915) data from the CAMELOT study (Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Economics Lifestyle and Other Therapeutic approaches for chronic conditions), new knowledge is provided which contributes to the understanding of care-seeking and health management among people with these conditions. This thesis contains seven articles for publication (and Appendices) which use literature review, descriptive statistics, logistic regression, thematic analysis and discussion to analyse and explore aspects of the use of CAM and conventional healthcare products and services. Areas investigated include: (l) use of CAM products and/or practitioners - prevalence, extent (quantity), modalities used, reasons for and motivators of use, costs, outcomes of CAM practitioner use, factors that would increase the likelihood of visiting a CAM practitioner, disclosure of use to medical doctors and communication between CAM and medical practitioners; (2) use of conventional medical services - frequency of consultations, numbers of doctors visited and pharmaceuticals used, and costs; (3) demographic, health status, quality of life, and care-seeking differences between CAM users and non-users; (4) participants’ perspectives on CAM and conventional medical healthcare services and treatment; and (5) concepts of integration of CAM and conventional medicine. While this study has limitations, many of which are inherent in self-report data and in research of such a diverse and highly pluralistic field as CAM, it highlights the perceived significance and benefits of CAM use for consumers in chronic condition prevention and management, the affordability barrier of access to CAM, the perceived shortfalls of mainstream services, and the potential benefits of greater interaction and communication between CAM and conventional medical providers in Australia. The research brings focus to the multiple ways in which people incorporate CAMs in their lives, often using it to maintain a sense of control or empowerment when faced with living with a chronic condition. Many participants reported improved blood sugar or blood pressure readings and ability to cope, and CAM practitioner use was associated with benefits such as improved confidence in condition management and improved knowledge and understanding of condition(s}. The benefits of CAM use should be viewed at a higher level than solely research on clinical efficacy allows, and further investigation of how the CAM workforce might be incorporated into mainstream pathways for chronic disease prevention and management is warranted. The application of comparable standards and subsidies across conventional and complementary healthcare would help to remove significant barriers currently limiting access to CAM and could encourage a more consumer-centred health system.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine among women with breast cancer in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundPatients are increasingly using complementary therapies, often for chronic conditions. Asthma is the most common chronic condition in the UK. Previous research indicates that some asthma patients experience gaps in their NHS care. However, little attention has been given to how and why patients and parents of children with asthma use complementary therapies and the implications for NHS care.MethodsQualitative study, comprising 50 semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 22 adults and 28 children with asthma (plus a parent), recruited from a range of NHS and non-NHS settings in Bristol, England. Data analysis was thematic, drawing on the principles of constant comparison.ResultsA range of complementary therapies were being used for asthma, most commonly Buteyko breathing and homeopathy. Most use took place outside of the NHS, comprising either self-treatment or consultation with private complementary therapists. Complementary therapies were usually used alongside not instead of conventional asthma treatment. A spectrum of complementary therapy users emerged, including "committed", "pragmatic" and "last resort" users. Motivating factors for complementary therapy use included concerns about conventional NHS care ("push factors") and attractive aspects of complementary therapies ("pull factors"). While participants were often uncertain whether therapies had directly helped their asthma, breathing techniques such as the Buteyko Method were most notably reported to enhance symptom control and enable reduction in medication. Across the range of therapies, the process of seeking and using complementary therapies seemed to help patients in two broad ways: it empowered them to take greater personal control over their condition rather than feel dependant on medication, and enabled exploration of a broader range of possible causes of their asthma than commonly discussed within NHS settings.ConclusionComplementary therapy use reflects patients' and parents' underlying desire for greater self-care and need of opportunities to address some of their concerns regarding NHS asthma care. Self-management of chronic conditions is increasingly promoted within the NHS but with little attention to complementary therapy use as one strategy being used by patients and parents. With their desire for self-help, complementary therapy users are in many ways adopting the healthcare personas that current policies aim to encourage.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Initiatives in Europe

Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common among persons with chronic conditions. To identify correlates of and describe patients' perspective on use of CAM for rheumatologic conditions. Telephone survey. Three university practices and three private rheumatology practices. 232 of 428 eligible consecutive patients (54%) with scheduled appointments. Patients answered questions on CAM use, functional status, pain, provider satisfaction, and health services utilization. Chart reviews provided demographic information and rheumatologic diagnoses. Bivariate analyses identified correlates of four CAM outcomes (history, magnitude, and frequency of CAM use and communication about CAM use with a physician), and multiple logistic regression identified independent correlates of regular CAM use. Approximately two thirds of the respondents (n = 146) had used CAM. Of these 146 respondents, 82 (56%) currently used CAM and 132 (90%) regularly used CAM or had done so in the past. Fifty-five respondents (24%) had used three or more types of CAM. In multivariate analyses, persons who used CAM regularly were more likely to have osteoarthritis (odds ratio, 5.6 [95% CI, 1.9 to 16.8]), severe pain (odds ratio, 2.5 [CI, 1.4 to 4.8]), and a college degree (odds ratio, 2.6 [CI, 1.3 to 5.4]) than patients who had never used CAM. Nearly half of the respondents discussed CAM use with their physicians. The most common reasons for not disclosing CAM use were that the physician had not asked about it and that the patient forgot to tell the physician; fear of disapproval was rarely cited. Discussions about CAM use between patient and physician occurred more frequently among patients with fibromyalgia and persons who regularly used CAM or used several types of CAM. Patients with rheumatologic conditions frequently use CAM. Severe pain and osteoarthritis predict regular use of CAM but do not predict a greater likelihood of discussing CAM use with physicians. Routine inquiry by physicians will probably detect CAM use.

This article describes research designed to specify complementary therapies used among older adults by obtaining daily use data and the specific purposes for use. Two hundred African American and White participants completed a baseline interview and up to six sets of three daily-diary interviews at monthly intervals. Participants provided retrospective information on complementary therapy use and information on the use of therapies for specific symptoms experienced across 3,070 person days. Retrospective information indicated that most participants used complementary therapies (e.g., 85.0% used home remedies in the past year). The use of complementary or other therapies and the number of days the therapies were used varied for specific symptoms. For example, home remedies were used on 86 (9.1%) of the 944 person days for which joint pain was reported. The daily-diary design provides detailed information for delineating how elders include complementary and other therapies in their health self-management.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 16, No. 1 EditorialComparative Effectiveness Research and CAMMikel AickinMikel AickinSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:27 Jan 2010https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0718AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Comparative Effectiveness Research and CAM." , 16(1), pp. 1–2FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByThe Role of Research in Guiding Treatment for Women’s Health: A Qualitative Study of Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturists19 January 2021 | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 18, No. 2Spiritual Leadership and Self-Development Model5 May 2021Acupuncture for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgiaMedicine, Vol. 97, No. 11Effect of catgut implantation at acupoints for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a randomized, sham-controlled trial10 November 2016 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 16, No. 1Exploring the prospect of a complementary and integrative medicine database for use in the Australian primary care settingAdvances in Integrative Medicine, Vol. 1, No. 1Parental Perspectives on Use, Benefits, and Physician Knowledge of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Children with Autistic Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Angela Huang, Kapila Seshadri, Tara Anne Matthews, and Barbara M. Ostfeld6 September 2013 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 9A double-blind controlled clinical trial assessing the effect of topical gels on striae distensae (stretch marks): a non-invasive imaging, morphological and immunohistochemical study12 April 2013 | Archives of Dermatological Research, Vol. 305, No. 7Review of Cochrane Reviews on Acupuncture: How Chinese Resources Contribute to Cochrane Reviews Shuang Jiao, Kiichiro Tsutani, and Nobuhiko Haga2 July 2013 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 7Effectiveness guidance document (EGD) for acupuncture research - a consensus document for conducting trials6 September 2012 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 1The optimized acupuncture treatment for neck pain caused by cervical spondylosis: a study protocol of a multicentre randomized controlled trial9 July 2012 | Trials, Vol. 13, No. 1Development of a Chinese Medicine Pattern Severity Index for Understanding Eating Disorders Sarah Fogarty, David Harris, Chris Zaslawski, Andrew J. McAinch, and Lily Stojanovska11 July 2012 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 6Decontextualized Versus Lived Worlds: Critical Thoughts on the Intersection of Evidence, Lifeworld, and Values Jeff Flatt17 May 2012 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 5Key Issues in Clinical and Epidemiological Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine a Systematic Literature ReviewForschende Komplementärmedizin / Research in Complementary Medicine, Vol. 19, No. s2The Intersecting Paradigms of Naturopathic Medicine and Public Health: Opportunities for Naturopathic Medicine Jon Wardle and Erica B. Oberg16 November 2011 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 11Naturopathic Medicine and Public Health: Teaming Up for a Transformative Tomorrow Elizabeth Sutherland16 November 2011 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 11Introduce the idea of comparative effectiveness research to clinical research of Chinese medicineJournal of Chinese Integrative Medicine, Vol. 9, No. 8Revised STRICTA as an Extension of the CONSORT Statement: More Items Should Be Involved in the Checklist Zhao-Xiang Bian and Yung-Hsien Chang23 February 2011 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 2Improving the prediction of response to therapy in autismNeurotherapeutics, Vol. 7, No. 3 Volume 16Issue 1Jan 2010 InformationCopyright 2010, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Mikel Aickin.Comparative Effectiveness Research and CAM.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Jan 2010.1-2.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0718Published in Volume: 16 Issue 1: January 27, 2010PDF download