title: Back pain sufferers' attitudes toward consultations with CAM practitioners and self- prescribed CAM products: A study of a nationally representative sample of 1310 Australian women aged 60-65 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze back pain sufferers' attitudes toward consultations with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and self-prescribed CAM products.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of Australian women aged 60-65 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant number of women with back pain consulted a massage therapist (41.4%, n=578), a chiropractor (37.3%, n=488), an acupuncturist (13.3%, n=174), used self-prescribed supplements (59.2%, n=776), vitamins/minerals (45.2%, n=592) and/or herbal medicines (13.1%, n=172). Women who perceived CAM as providing greater control over their body/health were more likely to have consulted a chiropractor (OR=4.21; 95% CI; 2.16, 8.19) and/or self- prescribed supplements (OR=2.38; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.49) than those who did not perceive CAM as providing greater control over their body/health. Women who perceived CAM as natural (OR=1.56; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.37) or promoting a holistic approach to health (OR=2.73; 95% CI: 1.60, 4.64) were more likely to have self-prescribed vitamins/minerals than those who did not perceive CAM as natural and promoting a holistic approach to health. Women who expressed that knowledge about evidence of CAM as important to them were more likely to have self-prescribed herbal medicines (OR=7.15; 95% CI: 1.72, 29.64) than those who did not express an interest in knowledge about evidence of CAM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain key attitudes toward CAM influence back pain sufferers' choice of CAM use, highlighting the need for back pain care providers to ensure appropriate enquiry and discussion with their patients regarding consulting CAM practitioners and/or self-prescribing CAM products for back pain.
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Vijayendra
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sibbritt
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Broom
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frawley
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Refshauge
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, UTS, Level 7, Building 10, 235-253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: jon.adams@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055815:Young Adult