Complementary and Alternative Medicine

According to a new nationwide government survey, 36 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 years and over use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

The survey, administered to over 31,000 representative U.S. adults, was conducted as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2002 National Health Interview Survey. Developed by NCCAM and the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the survey included questions on 27 types of CAM therapies, including acupuncture and chiropractic, and herbs or botanical products, special diets, and megavitamin therapy.

CAM approaches were most often used to treat back pain or problems, colds, neck pain or problems, joint pain or stiffness, and anxiety or depression. According to the survey, the 10 most commonly used CAM therapies and the approximate percent of U.S. adults using each therapy were:

* Prayer for own health, 43 percent

* Prayer by others for the respondent's health, 24 percent

* Natural products (such as herbs, other botanicals and enzymes), 19 percent

* Deep breathing exercises, 12 percent

* Participation in prayer group for own health, 10 percent

* Meditation, 8 percent

* Chiropractic care, 8 percent

* Yoga, 5 percent

* Massage, 5 percent

* Diet-based therapies, 4 percent.

In addition the survey also found that:

* 55 percent of adults said they were most likely to use CAM because they believed that it would help them when combined with conventional medical treatments

* 50 percent thought CAM would be interesting to try

* 26 percent used CAM because a conventional medical professional suggested they try it

* 13 percent used CAM because they felt that conventional medicine was too expensive.

Interestingly, the survey also found that about 28 percent of adults used CAM because they believed conventional medical treatments would not help them with their health problem.

- Source: The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a component of the National Institutes of Health

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