title: Self-Reported Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among the Health Care Consumers at a Tertiary Care Center in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) covers a wide range of approaches, including herbal medicine, manual healing techniques, traditional therapies and mind-body interventions. CAM is widely used throughout the world to treat a variety of illnesses and to maintain health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular across the world, and is widely practiced. Utilization pattern and reasons for use and non-use among patients attending a tertiary care center are assessed in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-five patients of different nationalities, above the age of 18 years, Gulf Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Ajman, UAE, were interviewed using an open-ended structured questionnaire. In addition to socio-demographic characteristics, the acceptability, utilization pattern and reasons for use and non-use were elicited from the participants after obtaining consent from them. PASW 18 version was used to perform Chi-square test and descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 135 participants were 20-81 years old, those from the Far East used most 85.7% (6/7), then Pakistan 38.5% (15/39) and India 23% (16/70). The most common system used was homeopathy. Physicians advised 28.2% (11/39) of users, whereas others used non-medical information. Around 71.8% (28/39) reported good outcome for themselves and family; however, only 10% (4/39) recommended it to others. Most of the users, 75% (101/135), were not sure whether CAM was based on scientific evidence, while 18% (24/135) felt it was. Good previous experience and less treatment complications were the most common reasons for using CAM and non-use due to lack of knowledge or need.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About one-third of the seekers of modern medicine care also use CAM, and mostly without physician advice; hence, the importance of discussing the same while taking the clinical history. In view of the belief that CAM has fewer side-effects, there is even more need for physician-initiated discussion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, UAE.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muttappallymyalil
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sreedharan
authors.forename: Lj
authors.initials: Lj
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehboob
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathew
keywords: Alternative medicine; Complimentary medicine; Health care consumers; Utilization pattern
references.citation: J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2000 Sep-Oct;22(5):412-6
references.pmid: 11037851
references.citation: BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006 May 02;6:16
references.pmid: 16670012
references.citation: Fam Pract. 2004 Dec;21(6):654-60
references.pmid: 15531625
references.citation: East Mediterr Health J. 2000 Jan;6(1):25-33
references.pmid: 11370337
references.citation: JAMA. 2012 May 2;307(17):1803-4
references.pmid: 22550193
references.citation: Support Care Cancer. 1998 Jul;6(4):337-47
references.pmid: 9695201
references.citation: Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2008 Jul;17(7):725-32
references.pmid: 18395880
references.citation: J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2006 Mar;28(3):141-6
references.pmid: 16679936
references.citation: Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 May;17(2):71-5
references.pmid: 21457894
references.citation: J Pak Med Assoc. 2011 Jul;61(7):683-7
references.pmid: 22204246
references.citation: Prev Chronic Dis. 2004 Oct;1(4):A12
references.pmid: 15670444
references.citation: Isr Med Assoc J. 2005 Apr;7(4):243-7
references.pmid: 15847205
references.citation: Integr Cancer Ther. 2011 Mar;10(1):38-46
references.pmid: 21059622
references.citation: Integr Cancer Ther. 2005 Mar;4(1):87-100
references.pmid: 15695478
references.citation: Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2000 Jan-Feb;17(1):55-65
references.pmid: 10689715
references.citation: Adv Data. 2004 May 27;(343):1-19
references.pmid: 15188733
references.citation: J Pediatr Oncol Nurs. 2006 Sep-Oct;23(5):244-53
references.pmid: 16902077
references.citation: Sao Paulo Med J. 2009 Nov;127(6):329-34
references.pmid: 20512285
references.citation: Complement Ther Med. 2009 Apr;17(2):78-83
references.pmid: 19185265
references.citation: Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2005 Jun 15;44(7):660-8
references.pmid: 15714446
references.citation: Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Nov;17(4):235-40
references.pmid: 21982140
references.citation: Complement Ther Med. 2006 Dec;14(4):261-7
references.pmid: 17105696
references.citation: BMC Res Notes. 2010 Oct 06;3:254
references.pmid: 20925956
references.citation: Int J Nurs Pract. 2011 Dec;17(6):571-82
references.pmid: 22103823
references.citation: Cancer Nurs. 2003 Jun;26(3):230-6
references.pmid: 12832956
references.citation: BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Jul 14;10:35
references.pmid: 20630070