title: Prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients/consumers in the UK: systematic review of surveys.
abstract: This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the UK. Five databases were searched for English language, peer-reviewed surveys published between 1 January 2000 and 7 October 2011. In addition, relevant book chapters and files from our own departmental records were searched by hand. Eighty-nine surveys were included, with a total of 97,222 participants. Most studies were of poor methodological quality. Across surveys on CAM in general, the average one-year prevalence of use of CAM was 41.1% and the average lifetime prevalence was 51.8%. In methodologically sound surveys, the equivalent rates were 26.3% and 44%, respectively. In surveys with response rates >70%, average one-year prevalence was nearly threefold lower than in surveys with response rates between 21% and 50%. Herbal medicine was the most popular CAM, followed by homeopathy, aromatherapy, massage and reflexology. Many patients and consumers in the UK use CAM; healthcare professionals should therefore responsibly advise their patients about the use of CAM.
authors.affiliation: Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, Devon, UK. Paul.Posadzki@pcmd.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Posadzki
authors.forename: Leala K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alotaibi
authors.forename: Edzard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ernst
mesh_terms: D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: complementary and alternative medicine; survey; systematic review