Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by Age, Gender, Ethnicity, and Education Among Adults in the United States: The 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
Publication: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Volume 17, Issue Number 4
Abstract
Background: There are widespread assumptions that a large proportion of American adults use a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. The goal of this study is to explore the clustering or linkages among CAM categories in the general population. Linkset analysis and data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to address two specific aims. First, the dominant linkages of CAM categories used by the same individual were delineated, and population estimates were generated of the percentage of American adults using different linksets of CAM categories. Second, it was determined whether dominant linkages of CAM modalities differ by age, gender, ethnicity, and education.
Methods: Linkset analysis, a method of estimating co-occurrence beyond chance, was used on data from the 2002 NHIS (N = 29,862) to identify possible sets of CAM use.
Results: Most adults use CAM therapies from a single category. Approximately 20% of adults combined two CAM categories, with the combination of mind–body therapies and biologically based therapies estimated to be most common. Only 5% of adults use therapies representing three or more CAM categories. Combining therapies across multiple CAM categories was more common among those 46–64, women, whites, and those with a college education.
Conclusions: The results of this study allow researchers to refine descriptions of CAM use in the adult population. Most adults do not use a wide assortment of CAM; most use therapies within a single CAM category. Sets of CAM use were found to differ by age, gender, ethnicity, and education in ways consistent with previous research.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Eisenberg DMDavis RBEttner SL et al. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990–1997: Results of a follow-up national surveyJAMA19982801569-1575. 1. Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, et al. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990–1997: Results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA 1998;280:1569–1575.
2.
Eisenberg DMKessler RCFoster C et al. Unconventional medicine in the United States: Prevalence, costs, and patterns of useNEJM1993328246-252. 2. Eisenberg DM, Kessler RC, Foster C, et al. Unconventional medicine in the United States: Prevalence, costs, and patterns of use. NEJM 1993;328:246–252.
3.
Barnes PMPowell-Griner EMcFann KNahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002National Health Statistics Report20043431-19. 3. Barnes PM, Powell-Griner E, McFann K, Nahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002. National Health Statistics Report 2004;343:1–19.
4.
Grzywacz JGLang WSuerken C et al. Age, race, and ethnicity in the use of complementary and alternative medicine for health self-management: Evidence from the 2002 National Health Interview SurveyJ Aging Health200517547-572. 4. Grzywacz JG, Lang W, Suerken C, et al. Age, race, and ethnicity in the use of complementary and alternative medicine for health self-management: Evidence from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. J Aging Health 2005;17:547–572.
5.
Barnes PMBloom BNahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults and children: United States, 2007National Health Statistics Report2008121-23. 5. Barnes PM, Bloom B, Nahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults and children: United States, 2007. National Health Statistics Report 2008;12:1–23.
6.
Kessler RCDavis RBFoster DF et al. Long-term trends in the use of complementary and alternative medical therapies in the United StatesAnn Intern Med2001135262-268. 6. Kessler RC, Davis RB, Foster DF, et al. Long-term trends in the use of complementary and alternative medical therapies in the United States. Ann Intern Med 2001;135:262–268.
7.
Kaptchuk TJEisenberg DM. Varieties of healing: 2. A taxonomy of unconventional healing practicesAnn Intern Med2001135196-204. 7. Kaptchuk TJ, Eisenberg DM. Varieties of healing: 2. A taxonomy of unconventional healing practices. Ann Intern Med 2001;135:196–204.
8.
Aickin MTaetle RM. Linksets of tumor chromosome breakpoints related to survival in ovarian adenocarcinomaCancer Genet Cytogenet200616622-26. 8. Aickin M, Taetle RM. Linksets of tumor chromosome breakpoints related to survival in ovarian adenocarcinoma. Cancer Genet Cytogenet 2006;166:22–26.
9.
Grzywacz JGQuandt SANeiberg R et al. Age-related differences in the conventional health care-complementary and alternative medicine linkAm J Health Behav200832650-663. 9. Grzywacz JG, Quandt SA, Neiberg R, et al. Age-related differences in the conventional health care-complementary and alternative medicine link. Am J Health Behav 2008;32:650–663.
10.
Astin JA. Why patients use alternative medicine: Results of a national studyJAMA19982791548-1553. 10. Astin JA. Why patients use alternative medicine: Results of a national study. JAMA 1998;279:1548–1553.
11.
Arcury TAGrzywacz JGStoller EP et al. Complementary therapy use and health self-management among rural older adultsJ Gerontol Soc Sci200964635-643. 11. Arcury TA, Grzywacz JG, Stoller EP, et al. Complementary therapy use and health self-management among rural older adults. J Gerontol Soc Sci 2009;64:635–643.
12.
Marquie JCBaracat B. Effects of age, education, and sex on response bias in a recognition taskJ Gerontol Psychol Sci200055BP266-P272. 12. Marquie JC, Baracat B. Effects of age, education, and sex on response bias in a recognition task. J Gerontol Psychol Sci 2000;55B:P266–P272.
13.
Arcury TAGrzywacz JGBell RA et al. Herbal remedy use as health self-management among older adultsJ Gerontol Soc Sci200762S142-S149. 13. Arcury TA, Grzywacz JG, Bell RA, et al. Herbal remedy use as health self-management among older adults. J Gerontol Soc Sci 2007;62:S142–S149.
14.
Arcury TASuerken CKGrzywacz JG et al. Complementary and alternative medicine use among older adults: Ethnic variationEthn Dis200616723-731. 14. Arcury TA, Suerken CK, Grzywacz JG, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine use among older adults: Ethnic variation. Ethn Dis 2006;16:723–731.
15.
Grzywacz JGArcury TABell RA et al. Ethnic differences in elders' home remedy use: Sociostructural explanationsAm J Health Behav20063039-50. 15. Grzywacz JG, Arcury TA, Bell RA, et al. Ethnic differences in elders' home remedy use: Sociostructural explanations. Am J Health Behav 2006;30:39–50.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Volume 17 • Issue Number 4 • April 2011
Pages: 363 - 370
PubMed: 21495904
Copyright
Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
History
Published online: 17 April 2011
Published in print: April 2011
Topics
Authors
Disclosure Statement
No competing financial interests exist.
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Export Citation
Export citation
Select the format you want to export the citations of this publication.
View Options
Get Access
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.⚠ Society Access
If you are a member of a society that has access to this content please log in via your society website and then return to this publication.