scholarly journals The potential of complementary and alternative medicine in promoting well-being and critical health literacy: a prospective, observational study of shiatsu

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew F Long
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Prospective Observational Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Critical Health Literacy ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

scholarly journals Safety and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Norway During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic Using an Adapted Version of the I-CAM-Q: A Cross-Sectional Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnete Egilsdatter Kristoffersen ◽  
Miek C. Jong ◽  
Johanna Hök Nordberg ◽  
Esther T. van der Werf ◽  
Trine Stub
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Fisher Exact Test ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Abstract BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has had a profound impact on physical and mental well-being throughout the world. Previous studies have revealed that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used for, and can be potential beneficial for strengthening physical mental resilience. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence, associations and reasons for use of CAM during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among a representative sample of the Norwegian population, and determine possible effects and adverse effects of the treatments. MethodsComputer assisted telephone interviews using a COVID-adapted I-CAM-Q questionnaire were conducted with 1008 randomly selected Norwegians aged 16 and above using multistage sampling during April and May 2020 applying age and sex quotas for each area. Descriptive statistics were carried out using Pearson’s Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and Independent samples T-tests to identify group differences. ResultsThe study revealed that two thirds of the respondents (67%) had used CAM within the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular CAM modalities that did not involve a provider. Most used were natural remedies and dietary supplement (57%, mainly vitamins and minerals), but self-help practices like yoga and meditation were also widely used (24%). Women used CAM modalities significantly more than men (77% vs. 58%). Most of the respondents found the modalities they used beneficial, and 5% reported adverse effects of the treatments.ConclusionsThe first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has not profoundly changed the overall need of Norwegian citizens to seek care outside the conventional healthcare system, but rather caused a shift in the type of CAM modalities used. The risk profile of these modalities was generally low as only 5 % of the respondents reported adverse effects. Further studies are needed to confirm the change from provider based to self-administered CAM use.

scholarly journals Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Health Literacy in Fibromyalgia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
İlknur AYKURT KARLIBEL ◽  
Meliha KASAPOĞLU AKSOY ◽  
Hakan DEMİRCİ ◽  
Deniz AZKAN TÜRE
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

scholarly journals Be Wise: A complementary and alternative medicine health literacy skill-building programme

2020 ◽  
pp. 001789692097406
Author(s):  
Clarann Weinert ◽  
Elizabeth Nichols ◽  
Jean Shreffler-Grant
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Literacy Skill ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Adequate Health Literacy ◽  
Health Literacy Skill ◽  
Skill Building ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Background: Health literacy has been found to be the strongest predictor of health status; and without adequate health literacy, consumers may not understand/adequately evaluate the myriad of choices available. Older rural residents tend to use self-prescribed complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies and glean information about these therapies primarily by word of mouth/media. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to describe the Be Wise health literacy skill building programme and the participants’ evaluation of the programme. Design: The programme involved four sessions delivered over 7 weeks at seniors’ centres in rural communities. Method: Data were collected initially ( N = 127), at the end of the sessions ( N = 67) and after 5 months ( N = 52). Setting: Participants were primarily rural Caucasian women, mean age 76 years, and most had an associate/baccalaureate degree. Results: Questions were worded to ascertain satisfaction with the programme, usefulness of the information provided, willingness to recommend the programme, and the likelihood of using the programme. All scores were most favourable ranging from 3.35 to 4.41 on a 5-point scale. A question regarding the usefulness of the Be Wise programme in managing health received at mean score of 3.55 on a 5-point scale. Written comments on the questionnaires were overwhelmingly favourable. Conclusion: Delivering programmes to older adults in small rural communities has special challenges and rewards. Participants were enthusiastic about learning more about making informed health care choices. There is a compelling need for continued programme development and long-term outcomes evaluation.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Correlates of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Patients with Lung Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study in Beirut, Lebanon

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farah Naja ◽  
Bilal Anouti ◽  
Hibeh Shatila ◽  
Reem Akel ◽  
Yolla Haibe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Open Communication ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lung Cancer Patients ◽  
Cam Use ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Patients with lung cancer are increasingly seeking complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to improve their physiological and psychological well-being. This study aimed to assess CAM use among lung cancer patients in Lebanon. Using a cross-sectional design, 150 lung cancer patients attending the Basile Cancer Institute at the American University of Beirut Medical Center were interviewed. Participants completed a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic characteristics, lung cancer condition, and use of CAM. The main outcome of interest was “use of any CAM therapy since diagnosis.” Prevalence of CAM use was 41%. The most commonly used CAM modality among study participants was “dietary supplements/special foods.” Results of the multiple logistic regression analyses showed that CAM use was positively associated with Lebanese nationality and paying for treatment out of pocket and was negatively associated with unemployment and having other chronic diseases. About 10% of patients used CAM on an alternative base, 58% did not disclose CAM use to their physician, and only 2% cited health professionals as influencing their choice of CAM. This study revealed a prevalent CAM use among lung cancer patients in Lebanon, with a marginal role for physicians in guiding this use. Promoting an open-communication and a patient-centered approach regarding CAM use is warranted.

Informed Consent, Shared Decision-Making, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Sugarman
Keyword(s):  
Informed Consent ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Office Visits ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is used by many in hopes of achieving important health-related goals. Survey data indicate that 42 percent of the U.S. population uses CAM, accounting for 629 million “office” visits a year and expenditures of 27 billion dollars. This high prevalence of use calls for a careful evaluation of CAM so as to ensure the well-being of those using its modalities. Such an evaluation would obviously include assessments of the safety and efficacy of particular approaches, the training and integrity of practitioners, and the appropriateness of modalities for different conditions or uses. Given the lack of published data concerning many of these aspects of CAM, the likely unfamiliarity of its practitioners to the approaches available to clinicians practicing modern scientific medcine, and the need to respect the unique preferences of persons seeking assistance with achieving health-related goals, it is also important to assess the potential roles of informed consent for the use of CAM. Examining such roles is the central task of this paper.

scholarly journals Instrument to Measure Health Literacy About Complementary and Alternative Medicine

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Shreffler-Grant ◽  
Clarann Weinert ◽  
Elizabeth Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Psychometric Evaluation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
State University ◽  
Montana State University ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Background and Purpose: Health literacy is an essential skill for today’s health care consumers. The growth in use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) adds to the complexity of being sufficiently health literate. The purpose of this article is to describe the initial psychometric evaluation of the “Montana State University (MSU) CAM Health Literacy Scale,” a newly developed instrument to measure an individual’s health literacy about CAM. Methods: Exploratory factor analyses, reliabilities, and conceptual considerations were used. Results: The outcome is a 21-item instrument with Cronbach’s alpha of .753 and 42.27% explained variance. Convergent validity assessments revealed weak but significant correlations between the scale and measures of general health literacy. Conclusions: The MSU CAM Health Literacy Scale has promise for use in future research and clinical endeavors.

scholarly journals Complementary and alternative medicine use among infertile women attending infertility specialty clinics in South Korea: does perceived severity matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Hye Hwang ◽  
Yi Young Kim ◽  
Hyea Bin Im ◽  
Dongwoon Han
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conventional Treatment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Infertility Treatment ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Infertile Women ◽  
Cam Use ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Abstract Background Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among infertile women is popular in many countries, including Korea. Previous research has repeatedly found more than half of infertile women surveyed use CAM therapies for fertility enhancement and overall well-being. However, there is currently little evidence to support this practice, and this raises the question of infertile women’s experiences in the uptake of those modalities and sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with CAM use. Thus, this study aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of infertile women with regard to their use of CAM in Korea. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from 263 infertile women attending infertility specialty clinics in Seoul, Korea, in June 2012. The survey instrument included 47 questions on the use of CAM, demographic characteristics, health status, and infertility related factors such as duration and type of infertility, experience and satisfaction of conventional treatment, and self-perceived severity of infertility condition. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results Among 286 respondents (response rate, 95.3%), a total of 263 women were included in the final analysis. 63.5% of respondents used one or more types of CAM modalities during infertility treatment. The utilization of CAM was associated with employment status, duration of infertility treatment, and self-perceived severity of the disease. The most commonly used CAM modalities were multivitamin and herbal medicine, and differences in types of CAM modalities used were found between the group with a higher rating of self-perceived disease severity and the lower perceived severity group. Conclusions High prevalence of CAM use among infertile women was observed in Korea. Our findings support that infertile women’s own understanding of their illness and physical condition influences self-care behavior such as CAM use. This calls for an urgent need for further in-depth study of the clinical effects of popular CAM modalities among infertile women when used in conjunction with conventional treatment.

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