Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by Patients From the Gulf Region Seen in the International Practice of a Tertiary Care Medical Center

Medical Conditions and Preference of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Results from the China Healthcare Improvement Evaluation Survey

PURPOSE

Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is used around the world, there has been a lack of comprehensive understanding of major factors affecting patients' decision to use CAM. This study aimed to describe the preferences of Chinese patients regarding what conditions they will use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for and to determine the factors associated with these preferences.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study used data from the China Healthcare Improvement Evaluation Survey in January 2021, a national cross-sectional survey conducted at 163 hospitals across 31 provinces. A convenient sampling method was used to conduct the patient satisfaction survey, and 28,993 patients in an ambulatory setting constituted our study sample on TCM use. A multiple-choice question regarding TCM listed nine medical conditions and asked the patient about what condition he/she and his/her family members would use TCM. In addition to descriptive statistics, we used a binary logistic regression model to investigate factors affecting the likelihood of patients' decision to use TCM for multiple conditions.

RESULTS

The majority of the surveyed patients (76.3%) would use TCM for the purpose of disease prevention, and more than half (67.3%) for multiple medical/health conditions, 34.0% for dealing with chronic diseases, 33.0% for common symptoms, 26.9% for rehabilitation, and 26.3% for sleeping disorder. Female and older patients, as well as patients with a higher education level, urban residency, and higher family income, were found to be associated with a higher probability of using TCM for multiple conditions than their counterparts (odd ratios [OR]>1, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study reveals a preference for TCM in a large sample of Chinese patients, especially used for prevention. Generally, patients with a higher socioeconomic status had a more positive attitude toward TCM.

Complementary and alternative medicines chosen for specific health problems: Internet survey using the I-CAM-Q in Japan: A STROBE-compliant cross-sectional study

This study investigated the different complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) adopted by people in Japan, as well as the health problems treated with CAMs. Understanding more about this topic will facilitate the appropriate incorporation of CAMs into conventional medicine when treating health problems. Data were collected through an online survey based on the International Questionnaire to Measure Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (I-CAM-Q). The study examined CAM utilization among people aged 20 years or older; 164 valid responses were collected (18.9%). We adopted a cross-sectional design. We then compared the relationships between the specific health problems reported by participants, their self-help practices, and the kinds of healthcare specialists consulted. We also examined participants' reasons for using CAMs and their responses regarding the usefulness of the CAMs adopted. We found that self-help/CAM practices differed for specific health problems. Participants with musculoskeletal and heart problems were more likely to use poultices. Those with respiratory and digestive problems were more likely to practice yoga, tai chi, and qigong. Those with digestive and neurological problems were more likely to use aromatherapy. The I-CAM-Q questionnaire also revealed the purpose and usefulness of the CAMs utilized as well as the participants' attitudes regarding conventional medicine. The study showed that participants find physicians less helpful than other options for treating their health problems. Additionally, when asked whether it was helpful to consult with a specific professional for health problems, there was a higher percentage of participants who answered "Very helpful" for professionals, like massage, judo, acupuncture, and moxibustion therapists, than for physicians. The results of this study will help to inform medical providers of the most appropriate types of CAMs for dealing with various health problems.