title: The Internet as a research tool in complementary and alternative medicine: a pilot study.
abstract: Information on the use of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies is sometimes difficult to obtain from consumers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Internet as a research tool in CAM to obtain information from these consumers about the use of psychotropic herbs and drugs. A survey on psychotropic herb and drug usage was posted on 138 mental-health newsgroups on the Internet. After 38 days, 72 (71%) of the 102 respondents reported usage of psychotropic medication and 68 (67%) reported usage of psychotropic herbs during the preceding 12 months. The Internet is a potential tool to reach consumers of CAM for research purposes. The study design requires modification, and the findings need cautious interpretation for further research using the Internet as a venue.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, College of Physicians and Surgeions, Columbia University, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Windsor
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Mehmet C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Oz
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012107:Research Design; D012651:Self Medication; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs