title: The use of complementary and alternative medicine among people living with diabetes in Sydney.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common in patients with chronic disease such as diabetes mellitus. The primary objective of the study was to determine the overall prevalence and type of CAM use in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Western Sydney and to compare the prevalence and factors associated with CAM use with the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter cross-sectional study was undertaken using a self-completed questionnaire distributed to patients with DM attending a public hospital and specialist endocrinology clinics in the region. The type of DM and pattern of CAM utilisation were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty nine people responded to the questionnaire: age range of 18-75 years during a twelve week collection period. Overall, 32 respondents with diabetes were using some form of CAM, resulting in a utilisation rate of 46.3%. Twenty of the 32 CAM users used CAM specifically to treat their diabetes accounting for 28.9% of the respondent sample population. Multivitamins (40%), cinnamon, Co-enzyme q10 and prayer were the most frequently used CAM modalities. There was no significant difference between males and females, age range, income or diabetes complications between CAM and non-CAM users. (p values each > 0.05) The factor most significantly associated with CAM usage was being born overseas (p = 0.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost half the respondents (46.3%) used CAM: 28% used CAM specifically to treat their diabetes. Individuals born overseas were significantly more likely to use CAM than those born in Australia. Other factors such as age, gender, wealth and duration of living with diabetes were not associated with higher rate of CAM usage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Nepean Hospital, Derby Street, Kingswood, 2751 Sydney, NSW, Australia. ckmanya@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kiran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Manya
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.forename: Trisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dunning
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D002935:Cinnamomum zeylanicum; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D029221:Faith Healing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012067:Religion; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014815:Vitamins; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10