Self-care dimensions of complementary and alternative medicine use among older adults.
BACKGROUND
There is a lack of understanding about the patterns and rates of CAM use among older adults owing to a lack of research on specific types of CAM.


OBJECTIVE
This study examines several dimensions of self-care deemed to be associated with CAM. Unmet health care needs, self-care attitudes, and spirituality are interpreted as health belief structures underlying CAM.


METHODS
Logistic regression analysis was used to examine use of three groups of practitioner-based CAM: (a) chiropractic; (b) massage, and (c) acupuncture, homeopathy and/or naturopathy use. We analyze a subsample of 4,401 older adults drawn from the 1996/1997 and 1998/1999 waves of the Canadian National Population Health Survey.


RESULTS
The logistic regression analyses indicate that self-care attitude and spirituality represent important predictors of practitioner-based CAM use. The associations for unmet health care needs were not supported. The strongest factors associated with CAM use were the illness context variables, which suggest that measures of need are key factors in leading individuals to seek other forms of health care.


CONCLUSIONS
Practitioner-based CAM use among older adults is influenced by self-care attitude and spirituality, in addition to health status, but to varying degrees depending on the type of CAM. Support of these self-care facets suggests that there is a desire on the part of consumers to exercise choice and to participate in health care decisions when considering CAM.
Votova
Kristine
K
Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada.
Wister
Andrew V
AV
D026881:Acupuncture; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002755:Choice Behavior; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009324:Naturopathy; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality