Positive Health Online

Abstract

WAINAPEL and colleagues, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY USA conducted a survey to document the prevalence, patterns of use of alternative medical therapies and their perceived effectiveness by patients within a rehabilitation medicine outpatient practice.

Background

Methodology

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey using a written questionnaire using an urban rehabilitation medicine outpatient referral office. A random sample of 103 patients referred for outpatient rehabilitation care were provided a questionnaire to complete while awaiting their appointment. The main outcome measures were their use of alternative therapies and their perceived effectiveness.

Results

29.1% of respondents had used one or more alternative therapies during the previous 12 months. The most common therapies used were massage, chiropractic, vitamin and mineral supplementation and acupuncture. The most common problems for which patients sought treatment were musculoskeletal pain syndromes of the spine and extremities. 53% of the patients using alternative treatments reported some degree of efficacy.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of rehabilitation medicine patients use and frequently perceive benefit from alternative therapies, especially massage, chiropractic, vitamin and mineral supplementation and acupuncture . The incorporation of alternative therapies into physiatric practice is a desirable future direction for the speciality.

References

Wainapel SF et al. Use of alternative therapies by rehabilitation outpatients. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 79(8): 1003-5 Aug 1998.