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Who uses CAM? A narrative review of demographic characteristics and health factors associated with CAM use

Who uses CAM? A narrative review of demographic characteristics and health factors associated with CAM use
Who uses CAM? A narrative review of demographic characteristics and health factors associated with CAM use
Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) are used by an extensive number of patients in the UK and elsewhere. In order to understand this pattern of behavior, it is helpful to examine the characteristics of people who use CAM. This narrative review collates and evaluates the evidence concerning the demographic characteristics and health status factors associated with CAM use in community-based non-clinical populations. A systematic literature search of computerized databases was conducted, and published research papers which present evidence concerning associations between CAM use and demographic and health characteristics are discussed and evaluated. The evidence suggests that people who use CAM tend to be female, of middle age and have more education. In terms of their health, CAM users tend to have more than one medical condition, but might not be more likely than non-users to have specific conditions such as cancer or to rate their own general health as poor. The multivariate studies that have been conducted suggest that both demographic and health characteristics contribute independently to CAM use. In conclusion, demographic characteristics and factors related to an individual's health status are associated with CAM use. Future research is needed to address methodological limitations in existing studies.
alternative medicine, complementary and alternative medicine, female, people, complementary medicine, cam, patients, paper, health, middle age, population, review, literature, health status, education, databases, cancer, research, behavior, complementary
1741-427X
11-28
Bishop, Felicity L.
1f5429c5-325f-4ac4-aae3-6ba85d079928
Lewith, G.T.
0fc483fa-f17b-47c5-94d9-5c15e65a7625
Bishop, Felicity L.
1f5429c5-325f-4ac4-aae3-6ba85d079928
Lewith, G.T.
0fc483fa-f17b-47c5-94d9-5c15e65a7625

Bishop, Felicity L. and Lewith, G.T. (2010) Who uses CAM? A narrative review of demographic characteristics and health factors associated with CAM use. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 7 (1), 11-28. (doi:10.1093/ecam/nen023).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) are used by an extensive number of patients in the UK and elsewhere. In order to understand this pattern of behavior, it is helpful to examine the characteristics of people who use CAM. This narrative review collates and evaluates the evidence concerning the demographic characteristics and health status factors associated with CAM use in community-based non-clinical populations. A systematic literature search of computerized databases was conducted, and published research papers which present evidence concerning associations between CAM use and demographic and health characteristics are discussed and evaluated. The evidence suggests that people who use CAM tend to be female, of middle age and have more education. In terms of their health, CAM users tend to have more than one medical condition, but might not be more likely than non-users to have specific conditions such as cancer or to rate their own general health as poor. The multivariate studies that have been conducted suggest that both demographic and health characteristics contribute independently to CAM use. In conclusion, demographic characteristics and factors related to an individual's health status are associated with CAM use. Future research is needed to address methodological limitations in existing studies.

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Published date: March 2010
Keywords: alternative medicine, complementary and alternative medicine, female, people, complementary medicine, cam, patients, paper, health, middle age, population, review, literature, health status, education, databases, cancer, research, behavior, complementary

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 61669
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/61669
ISSN: 1741-427X
PURE UUID: c6f6ff82-73a2-41df-9dfe-0c75167ae053
ORCID for Felicity L. Bishop: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-8737-6662

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Date deposited: 20 Apr 2009
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:30

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Author: G.T. Lewith

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