title: Complementary and alternative medicine utilization in Texas hospices: prevalence, importance, and challenges.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence, importance, and challenges of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) utilization in Texas hospices. Mail surveys were sent to 369 hospices in Texas, and 110 useful surveys were returned. Results showed that a majority (n = 62, 56.4%) of hospices offer CAM to their clients, with the most popularly offered CAMs being massage, music, and relaxation therapies. Despite the availability of CAM services in most hospices, and that the utilization of CAM has the potential to improve overall quality of life of patients, our results showed that a sizeable proportion of patients in these hospices are not utilizing the provided CAMs. Funding and personnel constraints were substantial obstacles to offering CAM.
authors.affiliation: 1Division of Health Outcomes and Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Busuyi S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Olotu
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Jamie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barner
mesh_terms: D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006738:Hospices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008405:Massage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: CAM challenges; CAM offering; CAM utilization; alternative therapy; complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); hospice care