Attitudes towards Herbal Supplements: Results from the “Alternative Health/Complementary and Alternative Medicine” Survey

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (S2) ◽  
pp. 791-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimira Sykova ◽  
Tay Kennedy
2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Curtis ◽  
Susan Gaylord

This article reviews issues of safety in health care, applied particularly to the interface between conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine. These issues include errors in treatment and medical management, adverse effects of pharmaceuticals, and defining risk for patients. For complementary and alternative medicine, especially dietary supplements, problems of quality control, licensing, regulation, and misrepresentation are discussed. An important issue is the interface between conventional and complementary therapies, in terms of drug/herb interactions, laboratory diagnosis, and lack of communication between clinicians about patients. Improvements in safety and quality will come from a commitment to better education and understanding between both types of care.


1970 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 3001-3008
Author(s):  
Handan Ozcan ◽  
Pınar Çolak ◽  
Berna Oturgan ◽  
Esra Gülsever

Objective: Study was planned to determine complementary and alternative treatment methods for menopausal hot flashes.Methods: Women who reported their discomfort of hot flashes as a degree of discomfort of 4 or more according to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were included in the study (n:356). In data collection, Questionnaire Form and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approaches Scale were used.Results: The average age of the women was 56.65±6.05 and the average age of menopause was 46.39±5.25. According to VAS, the average severity of hot flashes was 7.85±1.83.Women with obesity and any chronic disease were more likely to have hot flashes. It was determined that 73.6% of women in the menopausal period were using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). It was determined that women were using herbal supplements, dietary supplements, mind-body practices and religious practices against the discomfort of hot flashes. 72% of women using CAM stated that the method used was effective.Conclusion: Women who use CAM usually use it with information that is out of the knowledge of health profession and lack of information. It is recommended to carry out extensive studies for CAM methods and the mechanisms of action that women use.Keywords: Menopause, hot flashes, complementary and alternative medicine.


2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine P. Montalto ◽  
Vibha Bhargava ◽  
Gong Soog Hong

Determinants of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and characteristics of users are examined using a sample of 848 adults aged 50 and older from the 2000 Health and Retirement Survey. Logistic regression is used to identify the factors associated with the likelihood of using CAM. Nearly 70% of the respondents use at least one CAM modality, with 44% reporting use of curative CAM and 58% reporting use of preventive/curative CAM. Whites, relative to Blacks, were more likely to use curative and less likely to use preventive/curative CAM. Widowed older adults were more likely to use preventive/curative CAM. Number of limitations in activities of daily living was positively associated with use of both types of CAM. Recommendations are made for improving research on alternative health care utilization, for educating CAM users, and for qualitative studies to gain further insight into factors affecting the use of specific CAM modalities.


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