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Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased substantially around the world; various global studies have documented the use of CAM by surgical patients in the preoperative period, with rates of herbal medications and other nonherbal treatments ranging from 12 to 69%. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of CAM and its patterns of use among surgical patients. Methods: From December 2020 to April 2021, a descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken in Palestine. A face‒to-face interview questionnaire was used. The participants were asked questions regarding sociodemographics, clinical information, CAM usage, reasons for its use, and opinions on its efficacy. Results: Among the 300 surgical patients who were interviewed in this study, 252 (84.0%) reported that they had ever used CAM, while a total of 122 (48.4%) had used CAM before their surgery, 81.7% of the respondents used herbal methods, and 64.7% of them used nonherbal methods. CAM use among our study population was not linked to specific demographics or other characteristics, except health insurance (p = 0.004). The most commonly used herbs among surgical patients are Salvia officinalis L. (Sage) (84.1%) and Pimpinella anisum L. (Anise) (75.5%). The highest percentage was found among patients with university qualifications (73.2%), who used more than three methods (p < 0.001). In addition, 59.4% of the females used more than three therapies, whereas 45.9% of the males did (p = 0.032). Conclusions: The herbal methods used are common among surgical patients in Palestine and are consistent with the enormous increase in the use of CAM. Therefore, awareness should be raised among the public regarding the risks and benefits of CAM use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased substantially around the world; various global studies have documented the use of CAM by surgical patients in the preoperative period, with rates of herbal medications and other nonherbal treatments ranging from 12 to 69%. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of CAM and its patterns of use among surgical patients. Methods From December 2020 to April 2021, a descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken in Palestine. A face‒to-face interview questionnaire was used. The participants were asked questions regarding sociodemographics, clinical information, CAM usage, reasons for its use, and opinions on its efficacy. Results Among the 300 surgical patients who were interviewed in this study, 252 (84.0%) reported that they had ever used CAM, while a total of 122 (48.4%) had used CAM before their surgery, 81.7% of the respondents used herbal methods, and 64.7% of them used nonherbal methods. CAM use among our study population was not linked to specific demographics or other characteristics, except health insurance (p = 0.004). The most commonly used herbs among surgical patients are Salvia officinalis L. (Sage) (84.1%) and Pimpinella anisum L. (Anise) (75.5%). The highest percentage was found among patients with university qualifications (73.2%), who used more than three methods (p

Background: The identification of factors promoting simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use is important to promote early intervention efforts. The associations between impulsivity facets and SAM (or concurrent alcohol and marijuana, CAM) use have been analyzed in North American samples. These topics, however, remain unexplored in South American samples. This study assessed if internalizing symptoms, five impulsivity dimensions, and emotional regulation strategies differentiate between participants who reported last 2-month SAM use, CAM use, alcohol, or marijuana only use, or that reported no substance use. Methods: A sample of 1057 Argentinian citizens answered an online survey. A multinominal logistic regression was conducted on drug use membership. Results: Circa 25% of the sample reported SAM use. Higher sensation seeking differentiated between SAM use versus no substance use, and those with lower sensation seeking were more likely to be classified into the alcohol-only group or into the nonuse group, than into the SAM use group. Stress scores uniquely predicted membership into the alcohol-only category. Those with lower use of emotional suppression were more likely than nonusers to be classified in all drug use categories, except CAM use. Higher emotional suppression scores were associated with membership into the nonuse group or the alcohol-only group, when compared to the SAM use group. Hazardous drinking was significantly greater in SAM than in alcohol-only users. Conclusions: The study highlights the relevance of sensation seeking as a predictor of SAM use and pinpoints emotional suppression as common factor modulating hazardous drug use behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background While the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular in western societies, we do not understand why CAM use is more frequent in some countries than in others. The aim of this article is to examine the determinants of CAM use at the individual and country-level. Methods Logistic multilevel regressions were applied analyzing data from 33,371 respondents in 21 European countries (including Israel) from the seventh round of the European Social Survey. We examined CAM in terms of overall use and also dichotomized treatments into physical and consumable subgroups. Results At the individual level, we found CAM use to be associated with a range of socioeconomic, demographic and health indicators. At the country level, we found that countries’ health expenditures were positively related to the prevalence of overall and physical CAM treatments. Conclusions A common predictor for CAM use, both at the individual (in terms of education and financial strain) and country-level (in terms of health expenditures per capita), is greater resources.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is widespread and has played critical roles in preventing infections, including previous coronaviruses. This study sought to document current practices in the use of CAM for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in Ghana. An anonymous electronic survey was conducted from February 1, 2021 to April 30, 2021. Data on demographic characteristics, basic clinical information, illness perceptions about COVID-19, and CAM use during the pandemic period were generated. While about 82.5% (986/1195) of the participants used CAM during the COVID-19 period, 69.1% (681/986) of CAM users intented it for COVID-19 infection prevention. Vitamin supplements (88.1%, 869/986), spiritual healing/prayer (23.3%, 230/986), mineral supplements (22.3%, 220/986), botanical/herbal medicines (22.2%, 219/986), and diet therapy (19.4%, 191/986) were the main types of CAM used. From the adjusted binary logistic regression model, current age (aOR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.01–1.05), sex (aOR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.02–1.95), participants’ perceptions of consequences (aOR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.04–1.17), identity (aOR: 1.15, 95%CI: 1.06–1.25) and concerns about COVID-19 (aOR: 0.91, 95%CI: 0.85–0.97) were statistically significant predictors of CAM use. These results suggest the need for appropriate public health policy on COVID-19 and CAM use in addition to directing further research initiatives toward an optimized COVID-19 prevention scheme using clinically validated CAM treatments. Research to validate the clinical efficacy of these products, especially the herbs, for COVID-19 prevention while isolating lead compounds that could be optimized and used for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 is also recommended.

Background: While the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular in western societies, we do not understand why CAM use is more frequent in some countries than in others. The aim of this article is to examine the determinants of CAM use at the individual and country-level. Methods: Logistic multilevel regressions were applied analyzing data from 33,371 respondents in 21 European countries (including Israel) from the seventh round of the European Social Survey. We examined CAM in terms of overall use and also dichotomized treatments into physical and consumable subgroups. Results: At the individual level, we found CAM use to be associated with a range of socioeconomic, demographic and health indicators. At the country level, we found that countries’ health expenditures were positively related to the prevalence of overall and physical CAM treatments. Conclusions: A common predictor for CAM use, both at the individual (in terms of education and financial strain) and country-level (in terms of health expenditures per capita), is greater resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnic minority populations have been identified as high users of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM). This paper reports the systematic review of TCAM use amongst ethnic minorities. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Ovid, PubMed and CINAHL. Included studies were original, peer-reviewed, English language articles with the primary focus on TCAM use amongst ethnic minority populations. A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. A considerable level of TCAM use was observed amongst ethnic minority populations usually attributed to its perceived safe and natural properties. Ethnic minority populations predominantly used TCAM concurrently with conventional medicine and primary TCAM referral sources were family and friends. A substantial level of TCAM integration with conventional medicine is common practice amongst these populations and the lack of disclosure about TCAM use raises an important area for further research inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background and purpose This study aimed to explore the prevalence of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) before diagnosis and during oncology therapy, and reveal the disclosure of CAM use among Hungarian breast cancer patients. Materials and methods In a cross-sectional survey a self-administered questionnaire was used covering patients' demographics, oncology-related variables and various aspects of CAM use. Data were collected from 135 patients. Data analysis included descriptive analysis and Chi-square tests. Results The prevalence of CAM use was 52.6% before diagnosis while it was 84.4% during therapy. The most commonly used CAM practices before diagnosis and during therapy were vitamins/minerals (37%, 60%, respectively) and herbs (31.9%, 78.5%, respectively). The frequency of CAM use before diagnosis was higher among more educated patients (p < 0.001) and those living in cities (p = 0.001) while during therapy it was higher among patients with higher income (p = 0.020). Over 40% of the patients informed their physician about each CAM practice they used. Conclusion Besides conventional medicine, CAM practices are also regarded as an important part of therapy by cancer patients. The higher frequency of CAM use during therapy and the relatively modest disclosure towards physicians indicate a greater need for patients' education regarding CAM practices. Highlights • The prevalence of CAM use among breast cancer patients increased by 31.8% from before diagnosis to during therapy. • Before diagnosis CAM use was greater among more educated women and those women living in cities. • During therapy CAM use was greater among breast cancer patients with higher income. • FForty percent of patients informed physician about all, 23.7% about some CAM practices and 16.3% provided no information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined factors influencing decision-making on complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM) use for back pain and back pain sufferers' communication about CAM use. A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted in 2011/2012 as a sub-study of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health ( ALSWH). The sample contained 1620 women from the 1945-1951 cohort of the ALSWH, aged 60-65 years who were eligible for the sub-study, as they had experienced back pain during 12 months prior to the survey. Of these, 1310 (80.9%) returned completed questionnaires. A significant proportion of women consulted a CAM practitioner (76%, n = 1001) and/or had self-prescribed CAM treatment (75%, n = 985). Of the women who used CAM for their back pain, 20% consulted their general practitioner ( GP) prior to using CAM and 34% always informed their GP following CAM use. Forty-three per cent of the women were influenced by their doctors, 39% by friends/colleagues, 36% by family/relatives, 33% by their partner, 30% by a CAM practitioner, 20% by a pharmacist, 16% by a book/magazine, 11% by mass media, 10% by an allied health worker and 6% by the Internet. Our results show that information sources used by women for their decision-making on CAM use differed according to the symptoms. While non-professional information sources (e.g. family/relatives) positively influenced women in their decision to use CAM for a range of back pain-related symptoms (e.g. headaches/migraines), doctors and allied health workers (e.g. nurses) negatively influenced women in their decision to consult a CAM practitioner for a range of back pain-related symptoms (e.g. headaches/migraines, neck pain). Women seek information from a wide range of professional and non-professional sources with regard to their decision-making around CAM use for back pain. Back pain care providers need to ensure effective communication with their back pain patients regarding safe, effective and co-ordinated back pain care options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most important indications of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) is in arthritis. The popularity of CAM in arthritis is consistently on the rise because of the potential side effects of the conventional therapy (Methotrexate) of arthritis. In view of this, it was important to summarize the information, for healthcare professionals and the patients, about the safety and effectiveness of various CAM use in arthritis. Materials and Methods: This comprehensive review is based on the content derived through a thorough literature search using 5 electronic databases such as Science direct, Springer link, PubMed, Jet P and Google scholar. Equivalent terms in thesauruses or Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) browsers were used whenever possible. We included all the articles those are used CAM medications for the treatment of arthritis around the globe and searched for the required articles published in English in peer reviewed journals from January 1999 to February 2014. Reports were then arranged and analysed on the basis of country specific studies. Results: Initially, a total of 156 articles were retrieved, after further screening, 27 articles were selected according to meet objectives of the study and those articles which did not qualify, were excluded. Seventeen appropriate studies were finally included in the review. Indeed most of the studies that fulfilled the objective of this review were carried out in US (n=8, 47%), then in India (n=2, 11.76%), UK (n=1, 5.88%), Canada (n=1, 5.88%), Australia (n=1, 5.88%), Korea (n=1, 5.88%), Thailand (n=1, 5.88%), Turkey (n=1, 5.88%) and Malaysia (n=1, 5.88%). Conclusion: The review revealed that family, friend, past experiences and lack of effectiveness of conventional therapy are the major factors that influenced patients’ decision of initiating and persisting with CAM therapy. The review highlighted the need to conduct future studies by using some more specific health related outcome measures.

Introduction: One of the most important indications of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) is in arthritis. The popularity of CAM in arthritis is consistently on the rise because of the potential side effects of the conventional therapy (Methotrexate) of arthritis. In view of this, it was important to summarize the information, for healthcare professionals and the patients, about the safety and effectiveness of various CAM use in arthritis. Materials and Methods: This comprehensive review is based on the content derived through a thorough literature search using 5 electronic databases such as Science direct, Springer link, PubMed, Jet P and Google scholar. Equivalent terms in thesauruses or Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) browsers were used whenever possible. We included all the articles those are used CAM medications for the treatment of arthritis around the globe and searched for the required articles published in English in peer reviewed journals from January 1999 to February 2014. Reports were then arranged and analysed on the basis of country specific studies. Results: Initially, a total of 156 articles were retrieved, after further screening, 27 articles were selected according to meet objectives of the study and those articles which did not qualify, were excluded. Seventeen appropriate studies were finally included in the review. Indeed most of the studies that fulfilled the objective of this review were carried out in US (n=8, 47%), then in India (n=2, 11.76%), UK (n=1, 5.88%), Canada (n=1, 5.88%), Australia (n=1, 5.88%), Korea (n=1, 5.88%), Thailand (n=1, 5.88%), Turkey (n=1, 5.88%) and Malaysia (n=1, 5.88%). Conclusion: The review revealed that family, friend, past experiences and lack of effectiveness of conventional therapy are the major factors that influenced patients' decision of initiating and persisting with CAM therapy. The review highlighted the need to conduct future studies by using some more specific health related outcome measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Numerous studies have demonstrated the high prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in metropolitan cancer cohorts but few have been conducted in regional and remote populations. This study aimed to investigate the trends and regional variations in CAM use by cancer patients at a regional cancer care center in Toowoomba, South East Queensland, Australia. Methods. All English-speaking adult cancer patients attending the regional cancer care center were invited to participate. Eligible patients were provided a self-administered questionnaire that was developed based on published surveys. Ethics approval was obtained. Results. Overall 142 patients completed the questionnaire and 68% were currently or had previously used at least one form of CAM. CAM users and nonusers did not differ significantly by region, age, gender, time since diagnosis, income, town size, treatment intent, or metastases. CAM users were more likely to have a higher level of education. Concurrent CAM use with conventional treatment was reported by approximately half of respondents. The most common reason for CAM use was "to improve general physical well-being." The most common sources of CAM information were family (31%) and friends (29%). Disclosure of CAM use to either the general practitioner or specialist was reported by 46% and 33% of patients, respectively. The most common reason for nondisclosure was "doctor never asked." Conclusion. This study supports previous research that CAM use is as common in regional and remote areas as metropolitan areas. Nondisclosure of CAM use to health professionals was common. Future research needs to focus on strategies to improve communication between patients and health professionals about the use of CAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Self-reported use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) varies widely from 10% to 75% in the general populations worldwide. When limited to use of a CAM provider 2% to 49% reported use is found. CAM use is believed to be closely associated with socio demographic variables such as gender, age, education, income and health complaints. However, studies have only occasionally differentiated CAM use according to gender. Therefore, the aim of the study presented here is to describe the prevalence of CAM use on the background of gender and to describe the specific characteristics of male and female users in the total Tromsø 6 population. Methods A total of 12,982 men and women aged 30-87 in the municipality of Tromsø, Norway went through a health screening program and completed two self-administered questionnaires in 2007/2008. The questionnaires were developed specifically for the Tromsø study and included questions about life style and health issues in addition to socio demographic variables. Results A total of 33% of the participants reported use of any CAM within the last 12 months, women more often than men (42% and 24%, respectively). When limited to visits to a CAM provider, we found 17% use among women and 8% among men. The relationship between the demographic variables and being a CAM user differed significantly between men and women with regard to age, household income, and marital status. We did not find significant differences between men and women concerning education and self-reported health. Conclusions Findings from this study suggest that the prevalence and associations for use of CAM differ between men and women concerning several socio demographic variables (age, education and household income). Neglect of women's health care needs in public health care may contribute to the fact that women to a higher degree than men turn to CAM and CAM products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly used in China for the management of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the prevalence, perceived effectiveness, types, and reasons of CAM use in patients diagnosed with CAD. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted. Questionnaires were distributed at the outpatient cardiac clinics of four tertiary-level teaching general hospitals in Beijing. Quantitative data were analyzed using Student's t-test. Categorical data were analyzed using chi-square test. Logistic regression was employed to explore factors associated with the use of CAM as well as CAM use features in Chinese medicine (CM) hospitals when significant differences were found upon comparisons. Results: From May to July, 2009, a total of 600 questionnaires were distributed, and 546 patients with a diagnosis of CAD responded with valid values and were included in the present study. CAM was used by 69.1% of the patients with CAD; the majority (75.9%) of these CAM users believes that CAM is effective. "Few side effects" (49.6%) was the main reason of CAM use; whereas "doubt of effect" (61.5%) was the main reason for non-use. Patent herbal medicine (90.7%) was the most commonly used CAM type. Compared with non-CAM users, CAM users tended to be older (p < 0.01), have a longer disease duration (p = 0.02) and better current health status. In addition, CAM users had significant lower odds for emergency admission and hospitalization within the past one year. Patients with CAD from CM and WM hospitals differ in CAM use frequency, types, perceived effectiveness, as well as reasons for CAM use or non-CAM use. Conclusion: The present study suggested a group of significant factors which could influence the use of CAM in patients with CAD. CAM use patterns differ in patients from CM and WM hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. No comprehensive systematic review has been published since 1998 about the frequency with which cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Methods. MEDLINE, AMED, and Embase databases were searched for surveys published until January 2009. Surveys conducted in Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States with at least 100 adult cancer patients were included. Detailed information on methods and results was independently extracted by 2 reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using a criteria list developed according to the STROBE guideline. Exploratory random effects metaanalysis and metaregression were applied. Results. Studies from 18 countries (152; >65 000 cancer patients) were included. Heterogeneity of CAM use was high and to some extent explained by differences in survey methods. The combined prevalence for “current use” of CAM across all studies was 40%. The highest was in the United States and the lowest in Italy and the Netherlands. Metaanalysis suggested an increase in CAM use from an estimated 25% in the 1970s and 1980s to more than 32% in the 1990s and to 49% after 2000. Conclusions. The overall prevalence of CAM use found was lower than often claimed. However, there was some evidence that the use has increased considerably over the past years. Therefore, the health care systems ought to implement clear strategies of how to deal with this. To improve the validity and reporting of future surveys, the authors suggest criteria for methodological quality that should be fulfilled and reporting standards that should be required. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: Objective: To examine the factors correlating with repetitive use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Research design: In 2006, a community-based epidemiological survey was conducted in Taiwan. A total of 2457 participants (1237 men and 1220 women) aged 18 and over participated in the study. Results: From the application of regression tree analysis and the Health Belief Model, we have noticed the following findings. First, demand motive was the most dominant discriminator factor for the repetitive use of CAM. Second-layer discriminators were evaluated on the basis of action benefits and barriers, as well as sources of action information. Another predominant factor is the heterogeneity of individual background. When participants used CAM for treatment of illness, their household income was ≥1000 US dollars per month, they had past experience of western medicine seeking without effects and aged between 30 and 60 years, the predicted mean values for all types of CAM use is 5.62 (the highest). By contrast, when participants used CAM for maintenance of health, their household income was <2000 US dollars per month, they are male, with moderate or good self-rated health who had less than 9 education years, the predicted mean values for all types of CAM use is 1.36 (the lowest). Conclusion: Upon the above components, it assists us to understand the multiple interactive reasons on people''s repetitive use of CAM. It also provides essential information for specific CAM issues. Furthermore, from the different perspectives; it stimulates the thoughts for the future medical care projects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose: This study sought to better understand the long-term effects on women''s health related quality of life (HRQOL) of involvement in decision-making about their surgical and chemotherapeutic treatments for ovarian cancer treatment and about follow-up care after treatment. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, a sample of 219 ovarian cancer patient/survivors from Western Washington who were between 3months and ten years post-diagnosis were recruited via a mailed survey sent by their gynecological oncologist and interviewed about their ovarian cancer treatment, use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), Health related quality of life, and their involvement in decision-making about their cancer treatment and follow-up care. Results: Multivariate regression analyses revealed age, but not stage of cancer to be a significant predictor of perceived involvement in decision-making about ovarian cancer treatment and follow-up. Age also predicted CAM use with older patients using herbal CAM, and younger patients using CAM activities and CAM providers (p<0.5). Controlling for demographic, disease, and treatment characteristics involvement in decision-making about surgery and follow-up care were associated with better mental health in survivorship (p<0.05). Involvement in decision-making about use of CAM and about lifestyle health changes was associated with greater vitality and better role-emotional health in survivorship (respectively; both; p<0.05). Conclusions: As has been found in studies of breast cancer survivors, perceived involvement in decision-making about ovarian cancer treatment including surgery and follow-up care after treatment is associated with better quality of life for cancer survivors. Involvement in decision-making about the use of CAM and about changes in lifestyle health practices also appear to help survivor''s emotional health related quality of life. Prospective studies are needed to determine the mechanisms by which perceived involvement in decision-making about treatment might influence survivor quality of life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Despite the absence of conclusive evidence of effectiveness, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is used by 4 of 10 adults in the US; little is known about the association between CAM use and health status.Objective: To determine the relation between CAM use and self-reported health status and health improvement over time.Design and Participants: We performed a secondary database analysis using data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey of non-institutionalized US residents conducted by the National Center of Health Statistics of the Center for Disease Control. We identified CAM users and compared them to non-users. We used multivariable logistic regression to model the health status of respondents. We controlled for confounders including socio-demographic, clinical, and behavioral factors. The models were evaluated for discrimination and calibration.Main Measures: The likelihood of respondents to report 'Excellent' current health and 'Better' health than in the prior year.Key Results: Based on 23,393 respondents, we found 37% of U.S. adults used complementary and alternative medicine and 63% did not use any CAM. Compared to those who did not use CAM, CAM users were more likely to rate their health as 'Excellent' (adjusted-odds ratio (AOR) = 1.14, 95% CI = [1.03,1.26]). Similarly, CAM users were more likely to report their health as 'Better' than in the prior year (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI = [1.49,1.83]). The c-statistics for the two models were 0.755 and 0.616, respectively.Conclusion: We found a significant association between CAM use and self-rated excellent health and health improvement over the prior year. Prospective trials are required to determine whether CAM use is causally related to excellent health status and better health than in the prior year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONTEXT: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is used by pediatric patients with cancer, but the actual frequency of CAM use is undetermined. OBJECTIVE: In this systematic review we summarize the current evidence on the prevalence of CAM use in pediatric patients with cancer and assess the reported quality of included studies. METHODS: We systematically searched 6 major electronic databases, reference lists of existing reviews, and personal files. We included full articles about primary research studies (without language restriction) that reported the prevalence of CAM use if all or a defined subsample of participants were pediatric patients with cancer. Detailed information regarding methods and results was extracted from the original articles. A quality-assessment tool was rigorously developed on the basis of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and used to assess reported study quality. Formal tests of interrater agreement were conducted. RESULTS: We included 28 studies with survey data (collected from 1975 to 2005) from 3526 children. In 20 studies with 2871 participants, the prevalence of any CAM use (since cancer diagnosis) ranged from 6%to 91%; considerable heterogeneity across studies precluded metaanalysis. Study quality was mixed and not correlated with CAM prevalence. Herbal remedies were the most popular CAM modality, followed by diets/nutrition and faith-healing. Commonly reported reasons for CAM use included to help cure or fight the child's cancer, symptomatic relief, and support of ongoing use of conventional therapy. There was little evidence of an association between CAM use and patients' sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Many pediatric patients with cancer use CAM. It is important that pediatricians be aware of this fact and encourage open communication with patients and their parents. Using standardized survey methods and CAM definitions in future studies could improve their quality and help generate comparable data. Our qualityassessment tool could prove valuable for other reviews of prevalence studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) are used by an extensive number of patients in the UK and elsewhere. In order to understand this pattern of behavior, it is helpful to examine the characteristics of people who use CAM. This narrative review collates and evaluates the evidence concerning the demographic characteristics and health status factors associated with CAM use in community-based non-clinical populations. A systematic literature search of computerized databases was conducted, and published research papers which present evidence concerning associations between CAM use and demographic and health characteristics are discussed and evaluated. The evidence suggests that people who use CAM tend to be female, of middle age and have more education. In terms of their health, CAM users tend to have more than one medical condition, but might not be more likely than non-users to have specific conditions such as cancer or to rate their own general health as poor. The multivariate studies that have been conducted suggest that both demographic and health characteristics contribute independently to CAM use. In conclusion, demographic characteristics and factors related to an individual's health status are associated with CAM use. Future research is needed to address methodological limitations in existing studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease influenced by interplay among genetic and environmental factors, of which one is stress. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used to treat stress and those diseases in which stress has been implicated. Results are presented from a survey of patients with scleroderma. Respondents were a convenient sample of those attending a national conference in Las Vegas in 2002. Findings implicate stress in the onset, continuation and exacerbation of scleroderma. The implication is that CAM providers may be filling an important patient need in their provision of services that identify and treat stress and its related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The purpose of this prospective descriptive study was to understand 1) the extent to which certified nurse midwives (CNMs) utilize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), 2) how knowledge regarding CAM is gained, and 3) characteristics of these providers. A survey was designed to determine use of CAM treatment modalities: herbal preparations, pharmacologic/biologic treatments, manual healing/bioelectromagnetic applications, mind-body interventions, and diet and lifestyle. Random sampling was used to select participants (n =500) who were members of the American College of Nurse Midwives. Of those CNMs responding (n =227, 45%), 78% (n =178) reported use of CAM. Herbal preparations were most commonly used (85%), followed by pharmacologic/biologic treatments (82%), mind-body interventions (80%), and manual healing/bioelectromagnetic therapies (47%). Virtually all CAM user respondents utilized at least one diet and lifestyle therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: to assess the use of, knowledge about, and the demand for information concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed on consecutive patients visiting the outpatient tumor treatment center of a university hospital at Munich, Germany. The authors used a questionnaire with questions on sociodemographics, tumor diagnosis and treatment, current symptoms, previous use of CAM, and expectations and attitudes with respect to CAM. Results: 52% used at least 1 CAM method, 24% did not use CAM but asked for consultation, and 24% neither used CAM nor were interested; 59% rated CAM treatment as personally important; 76% and 34% described themselves as well informed about conventional treatment and CAM, respectively. Current CAM use was associated with higher degrees of information and subjective importance, and not suffering from lymphatic cancer and metastases. Conclusions: CAM is a relevant topic for the care of cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by Australians is substantial and increasing, but little is known about its use by the elderly. We here present the findings for the elderly cohort in our recently conducted national survey on CAM use by adult Australians. In May and June 2005, computer-assisted telephone interviews, using random-digit telephone dialing, were employed to gather data on CAM use in the last 12 months. Of 1067 adult participants interviewed, 178 were 65 or older. More than half of these (57.8%; 95% CI, 50.7%–64.9%) had used at least one of 17 common forms of CAM and 60.4% of the CAM users had consulted CAM practitioners. Clinical nutrition, chiropractic, massage therapy, meditation, and herbal medicine were the most common forms of CAM used by the elderly. A higher proportion of the elderly had always used both CAM and conventional medical treatments (37.9%) than had those aged 18–34 (15.7%) and 35–64 (26.9%). Elderly CAM users (60.2%) were more likely than younger users to discuss their use with their doctors. Of those who did not do so, 24.1% were not asked by their doctors and 16.0% considered that their doctor would disapprove. In conclusion, we found that a substantial proportion of older Australians use CAM. The elderly are also more likely than younger adults to discuss their use of CAM with their doctors, but doctors need to play a more active role in initiating such communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine comprehensively the potential correlates of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioner use among men with HIV/AIDS. Methods: Men (n=122) recruited from HIV/AIDS service organizations completed extensive written surveys. Questions comprised several domains that have been thought or demonstrated to influence individuals to use CAM, and also addressed respondents' social networks. Results: Discriminant analyses revealed 2 social network variables and 2 attitudinal variables proved statistically significant when controlling for relationships among variables. Conclusions: The significant contribution of social influence/social networks in choosing CAM modalities demonstrated has not heretofore been examined in CAM user studies; implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: To determine predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, we used a cohort of 1445 non-institutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older from the first wave (1993–1994) of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly, followed until 2000–2001. The main outcome was use of any CAM (herbal medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, relaxation techniques or spiritual healing) in the past 12 months and was assessed at 7 years of follow-up. Potential predictors of CAM use at baseline included sociodemographics, acculturation factors, and medical conditions. The overall rate of CAM use among older Mexican Americans was 31.6%. Independent predictors of higher CAM use were female gender, being on Medicaid, frequent church attendance and higher number of medical conditions. In contrast, subjects who were born in US and spoke either Spanish or English at interview had lower CAM use compared with subjects who were born in Mexico. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: This study assessed the frequency and types of CAM therapies used by patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes for general health purposes and cardiac reasons. We profiled CAM users including gender differences and degree of disclosure with treating physicians’. Data collection occurred via semi-structured interview and included demographics, past medical history, CAM use, physician visits, and patient–physician communications. Eight hundred and forty-six patients were screened for eligibility with 223 patients meeting eligibility criteria and completing data collection. Sixty-three percent of this sample used at least one CAM therapy for general health purposes in the year prior to the index hospitalization. Only 11.7% of patients reported using CAM for cardiac specific reasons. Women were more likely to use CAM relative to men and also tended to use a greater number of CAM therapies. More than one third (35.9%) of the patients that used CAM therapies did not inform their physician. Only a small fraction of CAM use was specific to cardiovascular health. These data suggest that a significant portion of patients do not report CAM use to their physicians and physicians seldom ask. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Background The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) among older adults is an emerging health issue, however little is known about older people's experiences of using CAM and the cultural, geographical and other determinants of CAM use in this population. This study used qualitative methods to explore older women's views of CAM and reasons for their use of CAM. Participants for the project were drawn from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) 1921-1926 birth cohort. Women who responded positively to a question about CAM use in Survey 5 (2008) of the ALSWH were invited to participate in the study. A total of 13 rural and 12 urban women aged between 83 and 88 years agreed to be interviewed. Results The women expressed a range of views on CAM which fell into three broad themes: "push" factors such as dissatisfaction with conventional health services, "pull" factors which emphasised the positive aspects of choice and self-care in health matters, and barriers to CAM use. Overall, the "push' factors did not play a major role in the decision to use CAM, rather this was driven by "pull" factors related to health care self-responsibility and being able to source positive information about types of CAM. A number of barriers were identified such as access difficulties associated with increased age, limited mobility and restricted transport options, as well as financial constraints. Conclusions CAM use among older women was unlikely to be influenced by aspects of conventional health care ("push factors"), but rather was reflective of the personal beliefs of the women and members of their close social networks ("pull factors"). While it was also apparent that there were differences between the rural and urban women in their use of CAM, the reasons for this were mainly due to the difficulties inherent in accessing certain types of CAM in rural areas.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is widespread and has played critical roles in preventing infections, including previous coronaviruses. This study sought to document current practices in the use of CAM for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in Ghana. An anonymous electronic survey was conducted from February 1, 2021 to April 30, 2021. Data on demographic characteristics, basic clinical information, illness perceptions about COVID-19, and CAM use during the pandemic period were generated. While about 82.5% (986/1195) of the participants used CAM during the COVID-19 period, 69.1% (681/986) of CAM users intented it for COVID-19 infection prevention. Vitamin supplements (88.1%, 869/986), spiritual healing/prayer (23.3%, 230/986), mineral supplements (22.3%, 220/986), botanical/herbal medicines (22.2%, 219/986), and diet therapy (19.4%, 191/986) were the main types of CAM used. From the adjusted binary logistic regression model, current age (aOR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.01-1.05), sex (aOR: 1.41, 95%CI: 1.02-1.95), participants' perceptions of consequences (aOR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.04-1.17), identity (aOR: 1.15, 95%CI: 1.06-1.25) and concerns about COVID-19 (aOR: 0.91, 95%CI: 0.85-0.97) were statistically significant predictors of CAM use. These results suggest the need for appropriate public health policy on COVID-19 and CAM use in addition to directing further research initiatives toward an optimized COVID-19 prevention scheme using clinically validated CAM treatments. Research to validate the clinical efficacy of these products, especially the herbs, for COVID-19 prevention while isolating lead compounds that could be optimized and used for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 is also recommended., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease influenced by interplay among genetic and environmental factors, of which one is stress. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used to treat stress and those diseases in which stress has been implicated. Results are presented from a survey of patients with scleroderma. Respondents were a convenient sample of those attending a national conference in Las Vegas in 2002. Findings implicate stress in the onset, continuation and exacerbation of scleroderma. The implication is that CAM providers may be filling an important patient need in their provision of services that identify and treat stress and its related disorders.