Alternative Medicine Usage Research Articles

A Critical Review of the Sociology of Alternative Medicine: Research on Users, Practitioners and the Orthodoxy

The popularity of alternative therapies in the past two decades has been accompanied by a proliferation of sociological works investigating different aspects of this phenomenon.1,2 A major strand of the literature in ‘the sociology of alternative medicine’, which concerns three social actors: users of alternative therapies; practitioners of alternative therapies; and physicians (the orthodoxy). Research on users of alternative medicine has mainly investigated the causes of people’s use of these modalities and has focused on three questions: Why do people use alternative medicine? Why has alternative medicine become popular in recent times? and, What is the sequence of events that leads to alternative medicine use? Research on alternative practitioners has mainly investigated the issue of professionalization of these practitioners. Research on physicians has mainly investigated: physicians’ views on and professional relationships with alternative therapists; physicians’ views on the efficacy of alternative therapies; the orthodoxy’s views on the knowledge base of these therapeutic systems; and physicians who use alternative techniques. The article argues that a paucity of empirical research is a major weakness of the present state of the sociology of alternative medicine and thus several research possibilities are delineated. Its aim is to provide a critical review of the literature on each of the above topics and suggest future research possibilities.

Population-Based Survey of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Usage, Patient Satisfaction, and Physician Involvement

Population-Based Survey of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Usage, Patient Satisfaction, and Physician Involvement

Population-Based Survey of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Usage, Patient Satisfaction, and Physician Involvement

With an increasing proportion of Americans using complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), physicians need to know which patients are using CAM to effectively manage care.In this cross-sectional study, telephone interviews were conducted with 1,584 South Carolina adults (ages 18 and older); 66% responded to the survey of demographics, general health, frequency of CAM use, perceived CAM effectiveness, and physician knowledge of CAM use.A total of 44% had used a CAM during the past year. Increasing age and higher education were significantly associated with CAM use. More than 60% perceived CAM therapy as very effective, and 89% said they would recommend CAM to others. Physicians were unaware of CAM use in 57% of their patients using CAM.Complementary or alternative medicine use in this rural Southern state is similar to national usage. Users view CAM as effective. Physicians are frequently unaware of patients' CAM use. More research is needed to establish CAM effectiveness and how CAM affects medical care, training, and public health.

Usage of supplemental alternative medicine by community-based patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Usage of supplemental alternative medicine by community-based patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Alternative Medicine Use by Patients with Epilepsy

Purpose. The objectives of this study were, first, to determine the prevalence, characteristics, and demographic patterns of alternative medicine (AM) use in patients with epilepsy, and second, to ascertain the extent to which these patients inform the neurologist of AM use.Methods. Surveys were distributed randomly to patients attending a tertiary care epilepsy clinic. The survey assessed use of specific herbal medicine/dietary supplements, along with other forms of AM.Results. Of 150 surveys distributed, 92 were used for analysis. Twenty-two patients with epilepsy (24%) used AM, and only 31% of AM users reported such to their neurologists. Massage and herbs/supplements were used the most, and only two patients used AM specifically for treatment related to epilepsy.Conclusions. A sizable minority of patients with epilepsy who visit our tertiary care clinic use AM. Health professionals should actively monitor therapies to ensure safety and effectiveness with combined traditional medicine and AM use.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE PRACTICES IN RHEUMATOLOGY

The increasing prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine usage by the general population and rheumatic patients worldwide is reviewed. The many potential concerns about this type of therapy are addressed, ranging from toxicity issues to changes in behavioral attitudes. Finally, the authors speculate on some major socioeconomic outcomes associated with these therapies.

Overview of Complementary Therapies in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

This article briefly describes the current usage of alternative and complementary medicine in the United States and among chronically ill users of rehabilitation services. Definitions of alternative and complementary medicine are presented with a few examples from among hundreds of existing therapies, with a focus on therapies currently used in rehabilitation contexts. The role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in funding research on these therapies is described. Examples of evidence-based therapies include ginkgo biloba for cerebral insufficiency, and acupuncture for stroke, are presented. Future trends are discussed.

Are alternative medicine users more distressed?

Are alternative medicine users more distressed?

Why Patients Use Alternative Medicine: Results of a National Study

Context.—Research both in the United States and abroad suggests that significant numbers of people are involved with various forms of alternative medicine. However, the reasons for such use are, at present, poorly understood.Objective.—To investigate possible predictors of alternative health care use.Methods.—Three primary hypotheses were tested. People seek out these alternatives because (1) they are dissatisfied in some way with conventional treatment; (2) they see alternative treatments as offering more personal autonomy and control over health care decisions; and (3) the alternatives are seen as more compatible with the patients' values, worldview, or beliefs regarding the nature and meaning of health and illness. Additional predictor variables explored included demographics and health status.Design.—A written survey examining use of alternative health care, health status, values, and attitudes toward conventional medicine. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used in an effort to identify predictors of alternative health care use.Setting and Participants.—A total of 1035 individuals randomly selected from a panel who had agreed to participate in mail surveys and who live throughout the United States.Main Outcome Measure.—Use of alternative medicine within the previous year.Results.—The response rate was 69%.The following variables emerged as predictors of alternative health care use: more education (odds ratio [OR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.3); poorer health status (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5); a holistic orientation to health (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9); having had a transformational experience that changed the person's worldview (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.5); any of the following health problems: anxiety (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.0); back problems (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.7-3.2); chronic pain (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5); urinary tract problems (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5); and classification in a cultural group identifiable by their commitment to environmentalism, commitment to feminism, and interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.7). Dissatisfaction with conventional medicine did not predict use of alternative medicine. Only 4.4% of those surveyed reported relying primarily on alternative therapies.Conclusion.—Along with being more educated and reporting poorer health status, the majority of alternative medicine users appear to be doing so not so much as a result of being dissatisfied with conventional medicine but largely because they find these health care alternatives to be more congruent with their own values, beliefs, and philosophical orientations toward health and life.

Characteristics of users and nonusers of alternative medicine in dermatologic patients attending a university hospital clinic: a short report.

To study the characteristics of users of alternative medicine in dermatologic outpatients attending a university clinic. A cross-sectional study analyzed by using a case-control methodology. SETTING, SUBJECTS, AND STUDY MEASURES: 118 dermatologic patients attending an outpatient university clinic responded to a structured questionnaire concerning demographic data, medical history, experience with alternative medicine, health beliefs, lifestyle, and locus of control. Thirty-five percent of the patients reported having used some form of alternative medicine. Use was related to disease duration, but not to patients' beliefs regarding whether or not they could influence their own health, nor to dissatisfaction with orthodox medicine. The most common reason for trying alternative medicine was that they "wanted to try everything" in an attempt to cure the skin disease. Users stated to a greater extent than nonusers, that they exercised sufficiently, possibly indicating that they are more health conscious. The study suggests that dermatologic patients using alternative medicine in general do not differ with regard to personal characteristics from nonusers. Rather, it appears that patients with long-standing skin disease turn to alternative medicine as a complement to orthodox treatment.

Why patients use alternative medicine: results of a national study.

Research both in the United States and abroad suggests that significant numbers of people are involved with various forms of alternative medicine. However, the reasons for such use are, at present, poorly understood. To investigate possible predictors of alternative health care use. Three primary hypotheses were tested. People seek out these alternatives because (1) they are dissatisfied in some way with conventional treatment; (2) they see alternative treatments as offering more personal autonomy and control over health care decisions; and (3) the alternatives are seen as more compatible with the patients' values, worldview, or beliefs regarding the nature and meaning of health and illness. Additional predictor variables explored included demographics and health status. A written survey examining use of alternative health care, health status, values, and attitudes toward conventional medicine. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used in an effort to identify predictors of alternative health care use. A total of 1035 individuals randomly selected from a panel who had agreed to participate in mail surveys and who live throughout the United States. Use of alternative medicine within the previous year. The response rate was 69%. The following variables emerged as predictors of alternative health care use: more education (odds ratio [OR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.3); poorer health status (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5); a holistic orientation to health (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9); having had a transformational experience that changed the person's worldview (OR, 1 .8; 95% CI, 1 .3-2.5); any of the following health problems: anxiety (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.0); back problems (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1 .7-3.2); chronic pain (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 -3.5); urinarytract problems (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5); and classification in a cultural group identifiable by their commitment to environmentalism, commitment to feminism, and interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.7). Dissatisfaction with conventional medicine did not predict use of alternative medicine. Only 4.4% of those surveyed reported relying primarily on alternative therapies. Along with being more educated and reporting poorer health status, the majority of alternative medicine users appear to be doing so not so much as a result of being dissatisfied with conventional medicine but largely because they find these health care alternatives to be more congruent with their own values, beliefs, and philosophical orientations toward health and life.

Clinic Close-Up Wellness Under One Roof

Alternative and Complementary TherapiesVol. 3, No. 1 Clinic Close-Up Wellness Under One RoofThe Pittsburgh Center for Natural HealthAnne H. CoulterAnne H. CoulterSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:3 Feb 2009https://doi.org/10.1089/act.1997.3.33AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byThe Development of a Prospective Data Collection Process in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Teaching Clinic Michele Maiers, Eileen McKenzie, Roni Evans, and Mark McKenzie17 March 2009 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 3Clinicians' Attitudes and Usage of Complementary and Alternative Integrative Medicine: A Survey at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institute Mi-Yeon Song, Majnu John, and Adrian S. Dobs4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Auriculotherapy with Magnetic Pellets Produces Longitudinal Changes in Sleep Patterns of Elderly Patients with Insomnia Lorna K.P. Suen and Eric M.C. Wong4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Acupuncture in an Outpatient Clinic in Fortaleza, Brazil: Patients' Characteristics and Prevailing Main Complaints Sergio Botelho Guimarães4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Challenges of Integrating CAM and Biomedicine Michele Sewell27 March 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Image Cycling for Hands-on Healers Donald G. Murphy and William F. Bengston4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Reporting Traditional Chinese Medicine Morbidity—A University of Technology, Sydney, Project with an Emphasis on Developing Standards for Testing and Reporting Data Peter C. Meier and Carole Rogers2 August 2006 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 6Incorporation of Fasting Therapy in an Integrative Medicine Ward: Evaluation of Outcome, Safety, and Effects on Lifestyle Adherence in a Large Prospective Cohort Study Andreas Michalsen, Barbara Hoffmann, Susanne Moebus, Markus Bäcker, Jost Langhorst, and Gustav J. Dobos30 August 2005 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 11, No. 4Patient Characteristics for Outpatient Acupuncture in Beijing, China Vitaly Napadow and Ted J. Kaptchuk25 August 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 10, No. 3"Quality Profiling" for Complementary Medicine: The Example of a Hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicine Dieter Melchart, Wolfgang Weidenhammer, Klaus Linde, and Reinhard Saller5 July 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 9, No. 2Use of traditional drugs in a hospital of Chinese medicine in GermanyPharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Vol. 8, No. 2 Volume 3Issue 1Feb 1997 To cite this article:Anne H. Coulter.Clinic Close-Up Wellness Under One Roof.Alternative and Complementary Therapies.Feb 1997.33-36.http://doi.org/10.1089/act.1997.3.33Published in Volume: 3 Issue 1: February 3, 2009PDF download

Usage of alternative medicines by patients presenting to an emergency department

AbstractObjectiveTo survey the usage of alternative medicines by emergency department patients.SettingAn adult emergency department of a major teaching hospital in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.MethodOver a five day period, 261 patients responded to a questionnaire examining their use of alternative medicines. Data on the alternative medicines used, details of the prescribers and opinions on safety were collected.ResultsSeventy two percent of respondents had taken some form of alternative medicine before and 48% were currently taking one or more on a regular basis. Alternative medical therapy was most common amongst middle aged, well educated females. Seventy percent were self prescribing and 92% felt that they were completely safe.ConclusionsUse of alternative medicines is common amongst patients presenting to the emergency department. Most are taken without supervision and patients generally feel that they are completely safe.

Doctor-shopping patients and users of alternative medicine among Japanese primary care patients

To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with doctor-shopping behavior (doctor-shopping patients) and users of alternative medicine among Japanese primary care patients, 1088 patients from the general medicine outpatient clinic of a medical school hospital answered an original questionaire and 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). A random sample of patients was questioned in accordance with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule modified for use in Japan (DIS-JM). Twenty-three percent of these patients met our criteria for doctor-shopping patients, and 7.9% had used alternative medicine. Multivariate analysis showed no significant difference between the two groups of patients with regard to sex, age, residence, occupation, education, or marital status. The most striking characteristics of doctor-shopping patients were chronicity of illness ( p < 0.005), inability to understand doctors' explanations ( p < 0.005), disbelief of the doctor's diagnosis and treatment ( p < 0.005), and high GHQ scores ( p < 0.05). The major factor for alternative medicine users was high expectations of medical school hospitals ( p < 0.01). DIS-JM interviews showed that doctor-shopping patients had a high lifetime prevalence of mental disorders. The lifetime prevalence of DSM-III somatization disorders was significantly higher in the two study groups. These results suggest that the risk factors for doctor shopping are strongly associated with chronic conditions and the doctor-patient relationship. Also, users of alternative medicine had high expectations of medical school hospitals as the symbol of modern medicine. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of accurate explanations and maintenance of good doctor-patient relationships by physicians providing care. We also suggest that when obtaining the patient's medical history, doctors ask how many prior visits the patient has made to medical facilities with the same complaint, and how many times the patient has used alternative medicine.

The Response of Orthodox Medicine to the Challenge of Alternative Medicine in Australia

The recent rise in the usage of alternative medicine is a consequence of the interaction between most orthodox doctors and their patients, changes in the medical market and a general societal shift toward postmodernity. The Australian Medical Association has recently responded to this rise by seeking to exclude alternative practices from funding by the government. The success of this tactic is partly dependent on the government's response. The government is faced by two major constituencies in this area: the AMA, who seek more funding for orthodox medicine and the Treasury, who seek to limit funding by capping devices and by arguing for preventive medicine. The government's response has been to channel preventive health practices through orthodox medicine. They are unlikely to support alternative practitioners as they would constitute a further drain on funds. However, this does not mean the AMA's tactic of exclusion will be totally successful. The consumers of medical care are demanding choice, control over their own health and individual attention. If orthodox practitioners do not meet that demand then their patients will desert them.