Dietary supplement use among health care professionals enrolled in an online curriculum on herbs and dietary supplements.
BACKGROUND
Although many health care professionals (HCPs) in the United States have been educated about and recommend dietary supplements, little is known about their personal use of dietary supplements and factors associated with their use.


METHODS
We surveyed HCPs at the point of their enrollment in an on-line course about dietary supplements between September, 2004 and May, 2005. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyze demographic and practice factors associated with use of dietary supplements.


RESULTS
Of the 1249 health care professionals surveyed, 81 % reported having used a vitamin, mineral, or other non-herbal dietary supplements in the last week. Use varied by profession with highest rates among nurses (88%), physician assistants or nurse practitioners (84 %) and the lowest rates among pharmacists (66%) and trainees (72%). The most frequently used supplements were multivitamins (60%), calcium (40%), vitamin B (31%), vitamin C (30%), and fish oil (24%). Factors associated with higher supplement use were older age, female, high knowledge of dietary supplements, and discussing dietary supplements with patients. In our adjusted model, nurses were more likely than other professionals to use a multivitamin and students were more likely to use calcium.


CONCLUSIONS
Among HCPs enrolled in an on-line course about dietary supplements, women, older clinicians, those with higher knowledge and those who talk with patients about dietary supplements had higher use of dietary supplements. Additional research is necessary to understand the impact of professionals' personal use of dietary supplements on communication with patients about them.
Gardiner
Paula
P
Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Pgardine@massmed.org
Woods
Charles
C
Kemper
Kathi J
KJ
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D029001:Herbal Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States