[Non-conventional medicine in Tuscany: attitudes and use in the population].
OBJECTIVE
With the aim of facilitating complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) regulation by decision-makers in the Tuscan region, objectives of the analysis were: 1) to estimate the frequency and motivations of CAM use (acupuncture, homeopathy, phytotherapy, manipulative therapies) within the Tuscan population; 2) to identify variables associated with CAM use; 3) to investigate public opinion concerning CAM.


METHODS
We have analysed the regional data collected by the ISTAT through the survey Multiscopo su "Condizioni di salute e ricorso ai servizi sanitari", years 1999-2000.


METHODS
The analysis was carried out on 5670 subjects > 20 years resident in the Tuscan region between July 1999 and June 2000.


METHODS
Usefulness, utilization and benefits concerning CAM.


RESULTS
Forty-five percent of the surveyed population consider useful at least one type of CAM, and 20% had used CAM at least once in the three years prior to the interview. Most frequent users are middle-aged women with higher educational levels, and manipulative therapies and homeopathy are the most used remedies. Disorders that mostly have induced the population to use CAM are pain syndromes.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the Tuscan population has a positive attitude towards CAM use, which is slightly more frequent than the average national use.
Giannelli
Massimo
M
Agenzia regionale di sanità della Toscana, Osservatorio di epidemiologia, via Vittorio Emanuele II 64, 50134 Firenze. massimo.giannelli@arsanita.toscana.it
Cuttini
Marina
M
Arniani
Stefania
S
Baldi
Paola
P
Buiatti
Eva
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis