Do Americans aged 50 and older discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with their health care providers? What are they talking about, or why not?
To help answer these questions, in October 2010, AARP and the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) partnered on a telephone survey. The survey builds on a similar study conducted in 2006.
The use of CAM is widespread. The 2007 National Health Survey, a national government survey, found that 38% of U.S. adults reported using CAM in the previous 12 months, with the highest rates among people ages 50 to 59 years old (44%). NHIS data also found that approximately 42% of adults who used CAM in the past 12 months disclosed their CAM use to a physician (MD) or osteopath (DO).
Because many adults also use over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, or other conventional medical approaches to manage their health, communication between patients and health care providers about CAM and conventional therapies is essential to ensure safe and integrated use of all healthcare approaches. .
Key findings include:
- Just over half (53%) of people aged 50 and over reported using CAM at some point in their lives, and almost as many (47%) reported using it in the past 12 months . Herbal products or dietary supplements were the most commonly used type of ACS, with just over a third (37%) of respondents reporting using them, followed by massage therapy, chiropractic manipulation and other physical work, used by around a fifth (22%). of respondents.
- Women were more likely than men to report using any form of CAM in the past 12 months (51 vs. 43%), as well as two specific types: herbal products or dietary supplements (41 vs. 33 %) and massage therapy, chiropractic manipulation. , or other bodywork (27 against 16%).
- In most cases, CAM use increased with education. Those who had attended or graduated from college were significantly more likely than those with a high school education or less to use all forms of CAM, with one exception: those who had earned a college degree were not significantly more likely than those with secondary education or less. less resort to naturopathy, acupuncture or homeopathy.
- Although relatively few respondents had used mind-body practices or alternative medical systems, about twice as many in the younger age group had done so. Eleven percent of people aged 50 to 64 reported using mind-body practices, including hypnosis and meditation, compared to 5% of people aged 65 and older. About 7% of people aged 50 to 64 reported using naturopathy, acupuncture or homeopathy, compared to 3% of people aged 65 and older.
AARP commissioned SSRS to conduct a telephone survey of 1,013 adults ages 50 and older between October 13 and 26, 2010.
