Blackmores Institute

Use of complementary medicines may be driven by socioeconomic status according to new Australian research in journal, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, reports. In the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use, Health Literacy and Disclosure (CAMUHLD) project, a cross-sectional online survey conducted between 26 July and 28 August 2017 among respondents with chronic conditions (n=1314) found that 505 (38.4%) had consulted a complementary medicine (CM) practitioner one or more times in the preceding 12 months. Of those respondents, the study found they were more commonly female (p = 0.004), of a younger age (49 years or below) (p &lt; 0.001), located in New South Wales or Victoria (p = 0.01), in possession of university-level qualifications (p &lt; 0.001), employed (p &lt; 0.001), managing better financially (p = 0.041), and single or married (as opposed to de facto, separated, divorced or widowed) (p = 0.048). Those who consulted CM practitioners more commonly had private health insurance (PHI) (p &lt; 0.001) and higher rates of PHI coverage for CM services (p &lt; 0.001). “Of the CM professions consulted, the most common was massage therapy (n = 284, 21.6%), followed by chiropractic (n = 188, 14.3%), acupuncture (n = 123, 9.4%), yoga (n = 118, 9.0%), naturopathy (n = 94, 7.2%) and osteopathy (91, 6.9%). The least commonly utilised CM professions were traditional medicine (other than traditional Chinese medicine) (n = 2, 0.2%) and “other” natural medicine professions (n = 8, 0.6%). “Consulting with CM practitioners to support general wellbeing was common, being the most frequently reported reason for consulting with traditional medicine practitioners (100%), yoga teachers (77.0%), massage therapists (62.0%), aromatherapists (59.7%), traditional Chinese medicine practitioners (58.3%), Western herbalists (54.4%) and naturopaths (54.3%). “Seeking treatment for long-term conditions was the most frequently reported reason for consulting with acupuncturists (63.4%), osteopaths (55.0%), chiropractors (53.7%) and homeopaths (38.0%),” the researchers reported. According to the authors, these findings provide insight into the dynamic relationship between chronic illness and CM and also highlight the potential relationships between profession-specific treatments and condition-specific needs. For example, those consulting with osteopaths had lower odds than other respondents of reporting cardiovascular conditions. However, the study noted the odds of consulting any CM practitioner were higher for those with gastrointestinal and mental health conditions––two fields, the researchers suggest, in which patients receiving conventional medical care often have unmet needs “Understanding of the intersection of chronic disease and use of CM practitioner services would benefit from research using longitudinal design to further explore the role and value of CM in the care of those with chronic conditions. Such research could include more extensive evaluation of effectiveness, safety, and the psycho-social impact of patient-practitioner relationships in CM clinical care on health-related quality of life. “CM practitioners providing these services may be addressing unmet needs within a population that represents a growing burden to a public health system challenged by the complexity and protracted nature of their health needs. The current and future contributions of CM professions should be systematically acknowledged and examined as potentially invaluable resources for managing the changing landscape of health care as it becomes increasingly dominated by chronic illness. There is a pressing need for public health practice to better align with policy acknowledging the potential value of integrated medicine for chronic health management,” the authors concluded. Source: 
 Foley H, et.al.: Complementary medicine practitioner consultations amongst 1,314 individuals with chronic conditions: Characteristics of users, reasons for and predictors of use. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101194 " target="_blank">Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice</a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101194 " target="_blank"> 40 (2020) 101194</a>

Australian research has found socioeconomic status may be a key driver in use of complementary medicines with many seeking out CM practitioners to support their general wellbeing.

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