title: The utilization of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine for non-communicable diseases and mental disorders in health care patients in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) use in patients with chronic diseases in lower Mekong countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in a health care setting using a random sample of 4799 adult patients (Mean age: 52.3 years, SD = 22.7) with chronic diseases in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The measure included the International Questionnaire to measure usage of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1 year prevalence of consulting TCAM providers was 26.0%; 27.0% in Cambodia, 26.3% in Thailand, 23.9% in Vietnam. The most commonly consulted TCAM providers were the herbalist (17.3%), massage therapist (6.0%), and acupuncturist (5.5%). For all different types of TCAM providers more than 80% of participants perceived the consultation as very or somewhat helpful. The own use of herbal medicine was 41.0%, own use of vitamins 26.5% and the own use of other supplements 9.7% in the past 12 months. The most common self-help practices in the past 12 months included praying for your own health (30.1%), meditation (13.9%) and relaxation techniques (9.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, older age, rural residence and having two or more chronic conditions was associated with the use a TCAM provider; being female, urban residence, residing in Vietnam and having two or more chronic conditions was associated with the use of TCAM products; and being female, older age, rural residence, higher formal education, and residing in Cambodia was associated with the use of TCAM self-help practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCAM use is common among chronic disease patients in lower Mekong countries and is associated with several sociodemographic and disease specific factors.
authors.affiliation: ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand. karl.pel@mahidol.ac.th.|Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. karl.pel@mahidol.ac.th.|HIV/STIs and TB Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa. karl.pel@mahidol.ac.th.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
authors.affiliation: ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand.|Department of Research and Innovation, University of Limpopo, Turfloop, South Africa.
authors.forename: Supa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pengpid
authors.affiliation: ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand.
authors.forename: Apa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puckpinyo
authors.affiliation: KHANA, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
authors.forename: Siyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Vietnam Public Health Association, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Le Vu
authors.initials: le V
authors.lastname: Anh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002160:Cambodia; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult