Skip to main content

Abstract

What kinds of individuals or groups are using CAM (complementary alternative medicine) for which reasons, and how often? These questions are of much interest to health authorities, service providers, service guarantors, the economy and the public in general. This chapter describes studies published on these topics in Europe and beyond. Studies from Switzerland are examined in more detail in Chapter 8.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Al-Windi A, Elmfeldt D, Svardsudd K (2000) The relationship between age, gender, well-being and symptoms, and the use of pharmaceuticals, herbal medicines and self-care products in a Swedish municipality. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 56:311–317

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson DL, Shane-McWhorter L, Crouch BI, Andersen SJ (2000) Prevalence and patterns of alternative medication use in a university hospital outpatient clinic serving rheumatology and geriatric patients. Pharmacotherapy 20:958–966

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Armishaw J, Grant CC (1999) Use of complementary treatment by those hospitalized with acute illness. Arch Dis Child 81:133–137

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atteslander P (1993) Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung. de Gruyter, Berlin/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bortz J (2004) Lehrbuch der empirischen Forschung für Sozialwissenschaftler. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown CM, Segal R (1996) The effects of health and treatment perceptions on the use of prescribed medication and home remedies among African-American and white American hypertensives. Soc Sci Med 43:903–917

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis MP, Darden PM (2003) Use of complementary and alternative medicine by children in the United States. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 157:393–396

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dinehart SM, Alstadt K (2002) Use of alternative therapies by patients undergoing surgery for nonmelanoma skin cancer. Dermatol Surg 28:443–446

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon A, Riesberg A, Weinbrenner S, Saka O, Le Grand J, Busse R (2003) Complementary and alternative medicine in the UK and Germany – research and evidence on supply and demand. Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society/Deutsch-Britische Stiftung für das Studium der Industriegesellschaft. London, Berlin. available at: http://www.mig.tu-berlin.de/files/2003.publications/2003.dickson_CAM.report.2003.pdf

  • Drivdahl CE, Miser W (1998) The use of alternative health care by a family practice population. J Am Board Fam Pract 11:193–199

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Van Rompay M, Kessler RC (1998) Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990–1997: results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA 280:1569–1575

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg DM, Kessler RC, Foster C, Norlock FE, Calkins DR, Delbanco TL (1993) Unconventional medicine in the United States: prevalence, costs and patterns of use. N Engl J Med 28:246–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elder NC, Gillcrist A, Minz, R (1997) Use of alternative health care by family practice patients. Arch Fam Med 6:181–184

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst E, White A (2000) The BBC survey of complementary medicine use in the UK. Complement Ther Med 8:32–36

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ernst E (2000) Prevalence of use of complementary/alternative medicine: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ 78:252–257

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fairfield KM, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Libman H, Phillips RS (1998) Patterns of use, expenditures, and perceived efficacy of complementary and alternative therapies in HIV-infected patients. Arch Intern Med 158: 2257–2264

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foster DF, Phillips RS (2000) Alternative medicine use in older americans. J Am Geriatr Soc 48:1560–1565

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrichs J (1980) Methoden empirischer Sozialforschung. Westdeutscher Verlag GmbH, Opladen

    Google Scholar 

  • Furler MD, Einarson TRW Use of complementary and alternative medicine by HIV-infected outpatients in Ontario, Canada. AIDS Patient Care & STDs 2003 17:155–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giese L (2000) A study of alternative health care use for gastrointestinal disorders. Gastroenterol Nursing 23:19–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray CM, Tan AW, Pronk NP, O‘Connor PJ (2002) Complementary and alternative medicine use among health plan members. A cross-sectional survey. Effective clinical practice ECP 5:17–22

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haetzman M, Elliott AM, Smith BH, Hannaford P, Chambers WA (2003) Chronic pain and the use of conventional and alternative therapy. Fam Pract 20:147–154

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haltenhof H, Hesse B, Buhler KE (1995) Beurteilung und Verbreitung komplementärmedizinischer Verfahren – eine Befragung von 793 Ärzten in Praxis und Klinik. Gesundheitswesen 57:192–195

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanyu Ni, Simile C, Hardy AM (2002) Utilization of complementary and alternative medicine by United States adults – results from the 1999 National Health Interview Survey. Med Care 40:353–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes KM (2000) Alternative therapies and nurse practitioners: knowledge, professional experience, and personal use. Holistic Nursing Pract 14:49–58

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hentschel C, Lindner M, Brinkhaus B, Nagel MR, Hahn EG, Kohnen R (1996) ICD-Diagnosen in einer naturheilkundlichen universitären poliklinischen Sprechstunde. Versicherungsmedizin 48:129–133

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hsiao A-F, Wong M, Kanouse D (2003) Complementary and alternative medicine use and substitution for conventional therapy by HIV-infected patients. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 33:157–165

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaboli P, Doehmer B (2001) Use of complementary and alternative medicine by older patients with arthritis: a population-based study. Arthritis Care Res 45:398–403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kappauf H, Leykauf-Ammon D, Bruntsch U, Horneber M, Kaiser G, Buschel G, Gallmeier WM (2000) Use of and attitudes held towards unconventional medicine by patients in a department of internal medicine/oncology and haematology. Support Care Cancer 8:314–322

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kemper KJ, Wornham WL (2001) Consultations for holistic pediatric services for inpatients and outpatient oncology patients at a children‘s hospital. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 155:449–454

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler RC, Davis RB, Foster DF, Van Rompay MI, Walters EE, Wilkey SA, Kaptchuk TJ, Eisenberg DM (2001) Longterm trends in the use of complementary and alternative medical therapies in the United States. Ann Intern Med 135:262–268

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler R, Soukup J (2001) The use of complementary and alternative therapies to treat anxiety and depression in the United States. Am J Psychiatry 158:289–294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kindermann A (1998) Warum lassen sich Patienten in einer Klinik für TCM behandeln? Hippokrates, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Langmead L, Chitnis M, Rampton DS (2002) Use of complementary therapies by patients with IBD may indicate psychosocial distress. Inflamm Bowel Dis 8:174–179

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee MM, Chang JS, Jacobs B, Wrensch MR (2002) Complementary and alternative use among men with prostate cancer in 4 ethnic populations. Am J Public Health 92:1606–1609

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marstedt G, Moebus S (2002) Gesundheitsberichterstattung des Bundes Heft 9: Inanspruchnahme alternativer Methoden in der Medizin. Verlag Robert Koch Institut, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthees BJ, Anantachoti P (2001) Use of complementary therapies, adherence, and quality of life in lung transplant recipients. Heart Lung 30:258–268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McFarland B, Bigelow D, Zani B, Newsom J, Kaplan M (2002) Complementary and alternative medicine use in Canada and the United States. Am J Public Health 92:1616–1618

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Melchart D, Linde K, Liao JZ, Hager S, Weidenhammer W (1997) Systematic clinical auditing in complementary medicine: rationale, concept, and a pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med 3:33–39

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Menniti-Ippolito F, Forcella E, Bologna E, Gargiulo L, Traversa G, Raschetti R (2002) Use of unconventional medicine in children in Italy. Eur J Pediatr 161:690

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Messerer M, Johansson SE, Wolk A (2001) Sociodemographic and health behaviour factors among dietary supplement and natural remedy users. Eur J Clin Nutr 55:1104–1110

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Messerer M, Johansson SE, Wolk A (2001) Use of dietary supplements and natural remedies increased dramatically during the 1990s. J Intern Med 250:160–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norred C (2002) Complementary and alternative medicine use by surgical patients. AORN J 76:1013–1021

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palinkas L, Kabongo M (2000) The use of complementary and alternative medicine by primary care patients: a surf-net study. J Fam Pract 49:1121–1130

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peter S von, Ting W (2002) Survey on the use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with headache syndromes. Cephalalgia 22:395–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitetti R, Singh S (2001) Complementary and alternative medicine use in children. Pediatr Emerg Care 17:165–169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Premik M (1998) Alternative medicine in Slovenia: some social-medical views. Health Care Anal 6:59–64

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajendran PR, Thompson RE, Reich SG (2001) The use of alternative therapies by patients with Parkinson’s disease. Neurology 57:790–794

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer T, Riehle A, Wichmann HE, Ring J (2002) Alternative medicine in allergies – prevalence, patterns of use, and costs. Allergy 57:694–700

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schnell R, Hill P, Esser E (2004) Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung. 6th edn. R. Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharples FM, von Haselen R, Fisher P (2003) NHS patients’ perspective on complementary medicine: a survey. Complement Ther Med 11:243–248

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shenfield G, Lim E, Allen H (2002) Survey of the use of complementary medicines and therapies in children with asthma. J Pediatr Child Health 38:252–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Unützer J, Klap R, Sturm R, Young AS, Marmon T, Shatkin J, Wells KB (2000) Mental disorders and the use of alternative medicine: results from a national survey. Am J Psychiatry 157:1851–1857

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Hashimoto S (1999) A pilot study of the use of alternative medicine in multiple sclerosis patients with special focus on acupuncture. Neurology 52 [Suppl 2]:550

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellhöfer PR (1997) Grundstudium Sozialwissenschaftliche Methoden und Arbeitsweisen, 2nd edn. Enke Verlag, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson JM, Simpson MD (2001) Complementary therapy use by nursing, pharmacy and biomedical science students. Nursing Health Sci 3:19–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson JM, Simpson MD (2001) High use of complementary therapies in a New South Wales rural community. Aust J Rural Health 9:166–171

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolsko P, Eisenberg D (2003) Patterns and perceptions of care for treatment of back and neck pain: results of a national survey. Spine 28:292–297

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yeh GY, Eisenberg DM (2002) Use of complementary and alternative medicine among persons with diabetes mellitus: results of a national survey. Res Pract 92:1648–1652

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon SL, Horne CH (2001) Herbal products and conventional medicines used by community residing older women. J Adv Nursing 33:51–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gasser, R., Wolf, U., Wolf, M., von Ammon, K., Bornhöft, G., Maxion-Bergemann, S. (2011). International Utilisation of Complementary Medical Approaches. In: Bornhöft, G., Matthiessen, P.F. (eds) Homeopathy in Healthcare – Effectiveness, Appropriateness, Safety, Costs. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20638-2_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20638-2_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-20637-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-20638-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics