Alternative/complementary medicine: wider usage than generally appreciated.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that there is substantial use of a practitioner of alternative/complementary medicine by patients traditionally considered to be underserved.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, self-administered survey study.


METHODS
Three university hospital-affiliated general ambulatory clinics serving patients of different socioeconomic status and racial origin.


METHODS
Five hundred and thirty-six (93% of those attending) consecutive clinic attendees.


METHODS
Past use and desired future use of one or more practitioners of five modalities of alternative/complementary medicine and willingness to pay for these modalities out-of-pocket.


RESULTS
Past usage and desired future usage of one or more practitioners of alternative/complementary medicine was comparable at the three clinic sites despite wide differences in socioeconomic status and willingness/ability to pay out-of-pocket for these services. Multivariable analyses revealed lower self-rated health status and female gender (both p < 0.006) but not income, race, age or education as independent, significant predictors of use of a practitioner of alternative/complementary medicine.


CONCLUSIONS
Usage of alternative/complementary medicine is not confined to any well-circumscribed socioeconomic group and is common in patients often considered to be underserved. Self-assessed lower health status is significantly and independently associated with use of a practitioner of alternative/complementary care.
Wolsko
P
P
Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver 80262, USA.
Ware
L
L
Kutner
J
J
Lin
C T
CT
Albertson
G
G
Cyran
L
L
Schilling
L
L
Anderson
R J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003120:Colorado; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires