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The influence of communication and information sources upon decision-making around complementary and alternative medicine use for back pain among Australian women aged 60-65 years.
- Source :
-
Health & Social Care in the Community . Jan2017, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p114-122. 9p. 4 Charts. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- 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]
- Subjects :
- *TREATMENT of backaches
*ALTERNATIVE medicine
*CHI-squared test
*FAMILY medicine
*MEDICAL referrals
*MEDICINE information services
*PHYSICIAN-patient relations
*PROBABILITY theory
*STATISTICS
*INFORMATION resources
*ALTERNATIVE medicine specialists
*DATA analysis software
*HEALTH information services
*ODDS ratio
*PATIENT decision making
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09660410
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Health & Social Care in the Community
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 119974868
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12275