Abstract
ObjectiveThe use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has not been widely studied among children in Italy. ISTAT-2005 survey showed a prevalence of 10% concerning children treated with CAM. The lack of data about the use of CAM in pediatrics in the South of Italy aimed us to conduct an epidemiological inquiry in Calabria.MethodsThe study has been conducted from 2009 and 2011 at the Pediatric Units of: University “Magna Graecia”- Catanzaro (CZ), Pugliese-Ciaccio Hospital-Catanzaro (CZ), Annunziata Hospital-Cosenza (CS), Jazzolino Hospital- ViboValentia (VV), Riuniti Hospitals- Reggio Calabria (RC) and San Giovanni di Dio Hospital- Crotone (KR). All information was collected through a questionnaire proposed to children’s parents admitted to these hospitals as out-patients or in-patients.Results1387 parents were approached to complete the questionnaire. 21(1,5%) refused to answer. A total of 1366 questionnaire was analyzed: 378 at CZ , 450 at CS, 131 at KR, 201 at VV and 206 at RC, with a response rate of 98,5%. In total, the percentage of children using CAM varied from 18% in Crotone to 38% in Cosenza. The parents who used CAM for their children were older and with a higher education. Phytotherapy was preferred to homeopathy. The gastrointestinal pathologies and upper respiratory tract are those ones for which frequently parents recur to CAM. Of note we have not to disregard their use “ to strengthen” the immune system. In most of cases CAM have been prescribed by pediatrician.ConclusionsOur study remarks that the use of CAM is increased dramatically among the calabrian children in the last years as well as in other countries. Pediatricians need to improve their knowledge about CAM in order to better manage the parental attitude.
Highlights
According to the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), considered the leading institution providing studies and informations on these practices, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) are defined as “ preparations and practices that are not regarded as a part of conventional medicine and which may be used as complement or as an alternative to conventional medicine” [1]
The definition of CAM is not homogeneous. In this survey only the CAM accepted by FNOMCEO were considered: homeopathy, phytotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, antroposohycal medicine [33]
Referred side effects were few (Table 4). In this multicenter survey we investigated the use of CAM in children through a questionnaire filled by parents of children admitted as in-patients or as out-patients in five General Hospitals in Calabria
Summary
According to the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), considered the leading institution providing studies and informations on these practices, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) are defined as “ preparations and practices that are not regarded as a part of conventional medicine and which may be used as complement or as an alternative to conventional medicine” [1].In the USA the recourse of CAM is very extended in adults (up to 70% of them use some form of CAM) [2,3,4,5]. The European Project CAMbrella has been recently approved in order to build a research network for CAM; it encompass 16 academic research groups from 12 countries (Italy included) [6]. Two researches of National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), which were performed at the end of the 90’s and in 2005 recorded a prevalence of 15,5% and of 13,6%, respectively. CAM are more common in the regions of Northern Italy [7]. In Tuscany, which represents the region where the unconventional treatments have a major spread and where they are recognized by the National Health Service (SSN), the prevalence of CAM users is 15 to 20%, but 45% of the surveyed population consider useful at least one type of CAM [8,9]
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