The use of complementary/alternative therapies among children attending an urban pediatric emergency department.
The incidence of and factors associated with complementary/alternative medicine use by pediatric patients was determined by face-to-face interviews with 602 parents/caregivers of children aged birth to 18 years who presented to an urban pediatric emergency department from February 2004 to September 2004. The overall use of complementary/alternative medicine among children was 15% and more common among children older than 5 years (21%). Families who used complementary/alternative medicine thought results were best when both complementary/alternative medicine and conventional medicine were integrated (P < .001). Most common types of complementary/alternative therapies used were folk remedies/home remedies (59%), herbs (41%), prayer healing (14%), and massage therapy (10%). Complementary/alternative medicine use was significant among the sample of children visiting an urban pediatric emergency department. Pediatricians should inquire about complementary/alternative use in the emergency department, particularly in children older than 5 years and those with parents/caretakers using complementary/alternative medicine themselves.
Sawni
Anju
A
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
Ragothaman
Ramesh
R
Thomas
Ronald L
RL
Mahajan
Prashant
P
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D010290:Parents