Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Slovakia: Results of a National Population Survey
Introduction: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)<br>in Europe has intensely increased in recent decades. To acquire<br>information about the patterns and trends of CAM use in Slovakia, a<br>nationwide representative survey was conducted on Slovakian adult<br>population.<br>Methods: A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was<br>administered to the general population of Slovakian residents aged 18<br>years and over. The respondents were interviewed face-to-face by<br>professional interviewers. Data were collected during September 2019 as<br>a part of an omnibus survey on a variety of subjects.<br>Results: Altogether, 82.4% of the respondents reported either regular<br>CAM method use or the lifetime prevalence of such use. The most<br>frequently reported group of methods were biologically based treatments<br>(78.9%), followed by manipulative and body-based methods (54.4%),<br>mind-body interventions (31.9%), whole medical systems (18.2%) and<br>energy therapies (4.2%). Vitamins (71.1%), herbal teas (68.1%),<br>massages (53.6%), religious healing (20.3%) and special diets (18.8%)<br>were the five most commonly preferred CAM modalities. It was indicated<br>that female respondents with higher household income are more likely to<br>use CAM.<br>Conclusions: Female gender, higher income and higher education are<br>significant predictors of CAM use. The study highlights the association<br>between satisfaction with healthcare systems, health situations, and the<br>use of CAM.