Abstract
There is evidence that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common among people with diabetes. The role of CAM in the treatment or management of diabetes is an emerging health issue given the potential side effects and benefits associated with the use of this kind of medicine. This paper examined patterns and determinants of CAM practitioner use in Queensland, Australia, using a large population-based sample of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The study found that within a 12-month period, 7.7% of people with diabetes used the services of CAM practitioners alongside or as a complement to conventional health care service. Younger age, female gender, a higher education, having private health insurance, and engagement in preventive health behaviours are significant predictors of individuals who are more likely to visit a CAM practitioner. There was no significant difference in CAM practitioner use between people with type 1, type 2 insulin requiring, or type 2 noninsulin requiring diabetes. The findings highlight the need for further research on the role of CAM in the prevention and management of diabetes.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus is one of the key global health challenges
This paper reports the findings of a study on the prevalence, profile, and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioner use amongst Australians living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes
The study highlights that 7.7% of people with diabetes in Queensland used services of CAM practitioner alongside or as a complement to conventional health care service and preventive care
Summary
In 2008, 347 million people worldwide were estimated to have diabetes [1]. In Australia, an estimated total of 898,800 Australians had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2007-2008. Among these individuals, 87,100 had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and 787,500 with type 2 diabetes [2]. It has been projected that 3 million Australians will be living with diabetes by 2025 as a result of recent increases in the incidence of obesity and declines in mortality [3]. The management of diabetes requires the use of extensive health care services and is both physically and emotionally demanding [4, 5]. The degenerative nature of diabetes is such that the human and economic costs can increase dramatically with disease progression [6]
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