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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Denise F. Johnson, MPH, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, HIV Epidemiology Program, 600 S. Commonwealth, Suite 1920, Los Angeles, CA 90005, 213 351-8545, denjohnson@dhs.co.la.ca.us and Amy R. Wohl, MPH, PhD, HIV Epidemiology Program, Department of Health Services, Los Angeles County, 600 S. Commonwealth Ave., Suite 1920, Los Angeles, CA 90005.
Background: More people are living with AIDS than ever before, and many are taking an active role in their treatment by taking alternative therapies or complementing conventional therapies prescribed by their physicians. Objectives: To identify and determine the prevalence of alternative and complementary therapies used by men and women with AIDS who were interviewed for the Supplement to HIV/AIDS (SHAS) Project in Los Angeles County. Methods: The SHAS Project, a population-based study of persons with AIDS, is linked to the Los Angeles County AIDS Surveillance Registry. SHAS participants are recruited from public and private health care sites and administered a standardized questionnaire. We examined factors associated with use of alternative therapies among SHAS participants interviewed from September 2000 to December 2001. Results: Of the 267 participants, 128 (48%) reported using at least one alternative or complementary therapy. Of the 229 taking antiretroviral therapy, 119 (52%) were also taking complementary therapies. The therapies most often reported were vitamins (28%), marijuana (11%), herbs (9%), and relaxation (9%). Fifty-two percent of male participants took alternative or complementary therapies compared to 38% of females. Whites were most likely to use alternative or complementary therapies (77%), followed by African Americans (55%), Latinos (41%), and Asians (33%). Participants with at least some college were significantly more likely to take alternative therapies (odd ratio=3.3, 95% CI=1.9, 6.0) than those with a high school education or less. Conclusion: As more patients are becoming involved in making decisions about their treatment, more research on alternative and complementary therapies is warranted.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.