Use of complementary therapy among internal medical inpatients. Prevalence, costs and association with mental disorders and physical diseases.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of complementary therapy/medicine (CT) use among internal medical inpatients. Furthermore, to examine the association between the use of CT and (a) mental disorders, (b) physical diseases, and (c) use of health care.


METHODS
A total of 294 consecutive medical inpatients were interviewed about their use of CT. A stratified subsample of 157 people was assessed for current mental disorders, using an extensive, standardized, semistructured interview (Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry version 2.1 [SCAN]). Health care use was assessed by use of national patient registers.


RESULTS
There were 22.5% CT utilizers. More females than males used CT (P=.033). CT utilization was not associated with age, mental disorders, life-threatening or chronic physical diseases or with use of health care services.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of CT is common among medical inpatients. More research is needed to understand why a significant proportion of patients seeks CT.
Nielsen
Janne
J
Research Unit for Functional Disorders, Psychosomatics and CL Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital, Barthsgade 5,1, 8200 N, Aarhus, Denmark.
Hansen
Morten Steen
MS
Fink
Per
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data