Use of complementary and alternative medicines among a multistate, multisite cohort of people living with HIV/AIDS.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with use of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) in a multistate, multisite cohort of HIV-infected patients.


METHODS
During 2003, 951 adult patients from 14 sites participated in face-to-face interviews. Patients were asked if they received treatment from any alternative therapist or practitioner in the previous 6 months. Logistic regression was performed to examine associations between demographic and clinical variables and CAM use.


RESULTS
The majority of the participants were male (68%) and African American (52%) with a median age of 45 years (range 20-85 years). Sixteen per cent used any CAM in the 6 months prior to the interview. Factors associated with use of CAM were the HIV risk factor injecting drug use [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.51] compared with men who have sex with men (MSM), former drug use (AOR=2.12) compared with never having used drugs, having a college education (AOR=2.43), and visiting a mental health provider (AOR=2.76).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated similar rates of CAM use in the current highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era compared with the pre-HAART era. Factors associated with CAM - such as education, use of mental health services, and MSM risk factor - suggest that CAM use may be associated with heightened awareness regarding the availability of such therapies. Given the potential detrimental interactions of certain types of CAM and HAART, all HIV-infected patients should be screened for use of CAM.
Josephs
J S
JS
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
Fleishman
J A
JA
Gaist
P
P
Gebo
K A
KA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000254:growth & development*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States
D012367:RNA, Viral