Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106186

Ava Joubert, MD, Public Health Program, Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Jenkins 343, Baltimore, MD 21251, 443-885-3238, centerofpromise1@yahoo.com and Joy P. Nanda, PhD, MS, MHS, Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205.

The 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) included the largest collection of health information on Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) use in the U.S. Considering the recent Institute of Medicine report (January, 2005) that more individuals sought alternative care than those who sought care from a conventional provider, we examined CAM utilization among adults with asthma. We also evaluated whether a) use of various CAM modalities helped improve their well-being, and b) respondents discussed CAM use with their conventional medical care providers (CMP).

The NHIS asked representative U.S. adults about their utilization of 17 CAM modalities in the past year for 74 conditions. Additionally, the survey asked respondents to rate the extent to which the selected CAM modality was helpful. Furthermore, it asked if they discussed CAM use with their CMP.

Of the 31,044 adults interviewed, 1231 (3.9%) experienced asthma during the past year. A total of 267 (21.7%) discussed CAM use with their CMP and 64 (5.2%) used CAM for asthma. Relaxation methods (4.9%), herbs (2.8%) and prayers (0.8%) were the 3 leading CAM modalities for asthma. Of the 64 CAM users, 61 (95%) reported CAM as being helpful vs. 32% users of CAM for other conditions (p<0.001). Thirty six adults (56.3%) discussed CAM use with their CMP, compared to 19.8% who used CAM for other conditions(p<0.001).

Low use of CAM may be under-reported. High patient satisfaction and perception of improved well-being positions CAM as an important treatment adjunct in the management of asthma and should be further evaluated.

Learning Objectives:

• a) describe the use of CAM modalities reported among adults with asthma,
• b) identify the extent to which the use of CAM has helped adults with asthma
• c) discuss the need for further research on CAM use and effectiveness thru annual national surveys
• d) Recognize the degree to which asthmatic adults perceive CAM in improving overall well-being.

Keywords: Asthma, Alternative Medicine/Therapies

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.