The characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine use by parents of asthmatic children in Southern Israel.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to estimate the rate and describe the characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by children with asthma in a paediatric primary care clinic in southern Israel.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study including 252 asthmatic children aged 2-12-years was conducted. Socio-demographic data and asthma history were collected using a telephone questionnaire. Computerized medical records were used to complete the data.


RESULTS
Sixteen percent (95% CI 11.5-20.5) of the asthmatic children participating in this study used CAM; most popular were homeopathy (36.6%) and reflexology (14.6%). According to multivariate model, CAM use was more prevalent in families in which fathers had professional training (OR = 4.9, 95% CI 1.82-13.02, p = 0.002), mothers were employed (OR = 4.1, 95% CI 1.018-16.1, p = 0.047), and origin of maternal grandfathers was European (OR = 4.7, 95% CI 1.86-11.8, p = 0.001). Families who used CAM, also more frequently sought rabbinical advice (OR = 11.9, 95% CI 2.94-47.7, p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of CAM use found in this study is lower than seen in other Western countries. The 'average family' using CAM to treat its asthmatic child includes an educated father, an employed mother and maternal grandfather from Europe, and would more often seek rabbi's advice.
Singer
Lilach
L
Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Karakis
Isabella
I
Ivri
Lital
L
Gross
Michal
M
Bolotin
Arkady
A
Gazala
Eli
E
D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002977:Clergy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007599:Judaism; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008499:Medical Records; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010290:Parents; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires