Faculty Collaboration Database

Complementary and alternative medicine in a military primary care clinic: a 5-year cohort study. Mil Med 2011 Jun;176(6):685-8

Date

06/28/2011

Pubmed ID

21702389

DOI

10.7205/milmed-d-10-00242

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-80051609607 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   10 Citations

Abstract

Previous studies have found that complementary and alternative medication (CAM) use is common. We enrolled 500 adults presenting to a primary care military clinic. Subjects completed surveys before the visit, immediately afterwards, at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 5 years. Over 5 years, 25% used CAM for their presenting symptom. Most (72%) reported that CAM helped their symptom. Independent predictors of CAM use included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-3.7), college educated (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.8-6.3), more severe symptoms (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.28), and persistence of symptom beyond 3 months (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.0-7.5). We concluded that a quarter of military primary care patients use CAM over 5 years of follow-up and most find it helpful. CAM users tend to be female and better educated. Patients with more severe symptoms or symptoms that persist beyond 3 months are also more likely to turn to CAM.

Author List

George S, Jackson JL, Passamonti M

Author

Jeffrey L. Jackson MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Cohort Studies
Complementary Therapies
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Military Facilities
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Primary Health Care
Surveys and Questionnaires
Treatment Outcome