Use of and satisfaction with complementary and alternative medicine in four chronic diseases: A cross-sectional study from India.
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Date
2013-03
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Abstract
Background. We assessed the extent of use of
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients
with four chronic diseases—epilepsy, HIV, rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) and diabetes mellitus (DM)—at a tertiary care, teaching
hospital of allopathic medicine in India. We also assessed
patients’ satisfaction with CAM.
Methods. Adults attending the outpatient clinics for
epilepsy, HIV, RA and DM who took CAM were recruited
over a period of 16 weeks. After obtaining written informed
consent, they were administered the ‘Treatment Satisfaction
Questionnaire for Medication’ (TSQM)TM to assess satisfaction
in domains such as effectiveness, no side-effect, convenience
and global satisfaction.
Results. Of the 4664 patients screened, 1619 (34.7%)
were using CAM and 650 (40%) of them consented to
participate. The extent of use of CAM was 63% in patients
with DM, 42.7% in RA, 26.2% in HIV and 7.7% in epilepsy.
Ayurveda 57.1% (95% CI 53.27–60.89) was the most
frequently used CAM. Satisfaction in terms of effectiveness
and global satisfaction was highest among patients with HIV
(69.4% and 69.2%, respectively) and least among those who
had RA (56.6% and 54.1%, respectively). High scores were
reported to ‘no side-effect’ domain in all the four diseases. The
proportion of physicians who were aware about their patients’
using CAM was 100% in patients with RA, 95% in HIV, 74%
in epilepsy and 29% in DM.
Conclusion. A large proportion of patients with four
chronic diseases reporting to a hospital of allopathic medicine
in India were also using CAM and were satisfied with its use.
Given the potential interaction of CAM with allopathic medicines,
a history of use of CAM should be elicited in clinical practice.
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BHALERAO M S, BOLSHETE P M, SWAR B D, BANGERA T A, KOLHE V R, TAMBE M J, WADE M P, BHOWATE S D, SONJE U B, GOGTAY N J, THATTE U M. Use of and satisfaction with complementary and alternative medicine in four chronic diseases: A cross-sectional study from India. National Medical Journal of India. 2013 Mar-Apr ; 26 (2): 75-78.