Abstract
The cultural health beliefs of the Filipino population and colonial history of medicine in the Philippines could mean high use of complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) and increased engagement in medical pluralism (i.e., combined use of conventional medicine and CAM) among the U.S. Filipino population, the fourth largest immigrant group in the United States. However, there is limited research regarding U.S. Filipinos’ health behaviors related to CAM use and medical pluralism engagement. The purpose of this study was to explore patterns of CAM use and medical pluralism practices of Filipino adults living in the United States. Data from Filipino adult respondents of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey adult CAM supplement were analyzed to determine most common CAM used, most common conditions for which CAM was used as a treatment, reasons for using CAM for treatment of health conditions, and sources of recommendations for CAM as a treatment in this population. Dietary supplements were the most common CAM used by Filipino adults living in the United States. A small number of U.S. Filipino adults reported using CAM to treat pain-related and cardiovascular conditions, with the most common source of recommendations coming from friends and family members. Most common reasons for using CAM for treatment of health condition were: CAM is natural; CAM had a holistic approach, and CAM could be taken/practiced independently. Based on the findings of the study, Filipino adults living in the United States engage in a pluralistic approach to health by using CAM for treatment of health conditions. Analysis of the 2012 NHIS adult CAM supplement provided an overview of Filipino adults’ patterns of CAM use and medical pluralism; however, future research is still needed to explain such health behavior patterns.
Highlights
Around one-third of the U.S population has used a complementary and/or alternative therapy (CAM) (Clarke et al, 2015)
Through a secondary analysis of the adult CAM supplement of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we aimed to explore patterns of CAM use and medical pluralism practices of Filipino adults living in the United States
We explored one aspect of medical pluralism that has been addressed in the 2012 NHIS adult CAM supplement: the use of CAM for treatment of health conditions that are treated in the conventional health care system
Summary
Around one-third of the U.S population has used a complementary and/or alternative therapy (CAM) (Clarke et al, 2015). Several studies have provided evidence that true use of alternative therapies (i.e., use of non-mainstream healthcare practices in place of conventional medicine) is rare, as health care consumers usually combine conventional and CAM therapies for promotion of health or treatment of illnesses (Davis et al, 2011; Malika et al, 2017; Rao, 2006; Wade et al, 2008). This combined use of conventional medicine and CAM is known as medical pluralism
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