title: Rurality, mobility, identity: women's use of complementary and alternative medicine in rural Australia.
abstract: This article explores why women in rural and remote areas of Australia use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) at higher rates than their counterparts in urban areas. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 60 women 60-65 years of age, currently living in rural Australia, we explore the possibility that CAM use in rural areas may be embedded in processes of spatialised identity-building and the health-creating practices of mobile, ex-urban, individuals who drive this process. We problematise previous explanations which suggest CAM use in rural areas is principally derived from a lack of biomedical service provision and enhanced community ties showing instead how and why identity and mobility are useful additional variables for understanding CAM use in rural areas.
authors: University of Queensland, St Lucia Qld 4072, Australia. c.meurk@uq.edu.au
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Meurk
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Broom
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Adams
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Sibbritt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011157:Population Dynamics; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health