title: Why people seek complementary and alternative medicine before conventional medical treatment: a population based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies explain peoples' intentions to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) before conventional medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the psychosocial factors associated with intention to try CAM before conventional medicine; to explore the predictors of initially seeking CAM in the adult population in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  1256 adults were interviewed as part of 2012 Queensland Social Survey. Relationships were explored using logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  79% of respondents had used CAM in the last 12 months; 17.6% of people would try CAM before conventional medicine. Age, education, perceived control and spirituality predicted intention to try CAM before conventional medicine. People often sought CAM initially to improve their health and well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Personal characteristics and psychosocial factors predicted intention to try CAM before conventional medicine. These factors need to be considered by doctors and other conventional health care providers as part of person centred approaches to healthcare.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, BG Bomont Building, University of Stirling, Stirling Campus, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK. Electronic address: patricia.thomson@stir.ac.uk.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Centre for Health Science, University of Stirling, Highland Campus, Old Perth Road, Inverness, IV2 3JH, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: School of Human, Health and Social Sciences, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg Campus, University Drive, Branyan, QLD, 4670, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: Highland Heartbeat Centre, Cardiology Unit, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, IV32 3UJ, Scotland, UK; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Centre for Health Science, University of Stirling, Highland Campus, Old Perth Road, Inverness, IV2 3JH, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012648:Self Care
keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); Health; Medicine; Perceived control; Spirituality