Complementary and Alterative Medicine Use by People with Arthritis or Other Rheumatic Conditions

University of New Mexico: Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Topics:
Arthritis | Complementary Medicine

Researchers in North Carolina evaluated complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by people with rheumatologic conditions (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia) in both family medicine practices and subspecialty disease clinics throughout the state. Fourteen sites were selected to allow for diversity in setting and population. Patients 18 years or older were asked to complete a survey that included questions about their health status, demographics, symptoms, and diagnoses. Eleven months later, questionnaires about CAM use were mailed to 2,178 patients who reported a rheumatologic condition. Results are indicating the number of people with rheumatologic conditions who use CAM, what types of CAM they use, and which CAM treatments are effective in improving their health status and quality of life. To identify cultural and ethnic differences in people’s use of and beliefs about CAM, researchers in New Mexico conducted a literature review, four focus groups, and a survey of 850 adults with rheumatologic conditions.

 

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