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Research: RAO and colleagues, Ro
Listed in Issue 48
Abstract
RAO and colleagues, Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis 46202, USA write that people with chronic conditions commonly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The authors conducted a telephone survey to identify and describe patients perspectives on the use of CAM for rheumatologic conditions .
Background
Methodology
232 of 428 consecutive patients (54%) answered questions regarding use of CAM, functional status, pain, satisfaction with healthcare provider and use of health services. Reviews of charts provided demographic information and rheumatologic diagnoses. Bivariate analyses identified correlates of 4 CAM outcomes: 1) History; 2) Magnitude; 3) Frequency of CAM use and 4) Communication regarding CAM use with a physician. Multiple logistic regression identified independent correlates of regular CAM use.
Results
About two thirds (n = 146) of the patients had used CAM. Of the 146 respondents. 82 (56%) currently used CAM and 132 (90%) regularly used CAM or had done so in the past. 55 patients (24%) had used 3 or more types of CAM. Those individuals who used CAM regularly were more likely to have osteoarthritis (odds ratio (OR) = 5.6), severe pain (OR = 2.6) than those who had not. Almost 50% of the respondents discussed the use of CAM with their physicians . The most common reasons for not discussing Cam use were that the physician had not asked about it and the patient forgetting to tell the physician. Fear of disapproval was rarely given as a reason. Discussion between patients and physician occurred more frequently among patients with fibromyalgia and those who regularly used CAM or several forms of CAM.
Conclusion
Patients with rheumatologic conditions frequently use CAM. Severe pain and osteoarthritis predicted regular use of CAM but did not predict a likelihood of discussing CAM use with physicians.
References
Rao JK et al. Use of complementary therapies for arthritis among patients of rheumatologists. Annals of Internal Medicine 131(6): 409-16. 21 Sep 1999.
Comment
The above research studies demonstrate how wide-spread the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become, and that often medically-based research is ongoing, particularly regarding the use of CAM for especially chronic conditions such as back pain and arthritis.
