Use of Alternative Medicine Rises Sharply, Study Shows | National Nursing News

Significantly higher numbers of people began using complementary and alternative medicine therapies during the past decade, according to a new analysis.

Dejun Su, PhD, director of the South Texas Border Health Disparities Center at the University of Texas-Pan American, and colleagues examined data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. The survey included interviews with more than 23,000 adults.

In addition to overall use, researchers were interested in the rates of increases for different demographics. Between 2002 and 2007, CAM use increased by 18.1% for whites, 17.2% for Asian Americans, 6.6% for African-Americans and 1.01% for Hispanics.

Overall, according to the survey, 33% of whites use at least one CAM therapy, not including prayer. About 32% of Asian Americans, 20% of African-Americans and 17% of Hispanics use at least one such therapy.

The study was first reported by Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health.

Su said rising healthcare costs may lead people to try CAM therapies — acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage, herbal medicine and meditation — when they have nowhere else to turn. More than a third of respondents who reported trying CAM in 2007 stated that they had an untreated medical condition or had put off getting care.

Going forward, Su said, researchers must try to determine the effectiveness and possible risks of CAM therapies, as well as how they interact with conventional medicine.

via news.nurse.com

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