Do Americans age 50 and older discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with their physicians?

Background Use of CAM is widespread. A nationwide government survey found that nearly half of all adults have used some form of CAM during their lifetime, with people ages 50-59 most likely to report using CAM. Communication between patients and physicians about CAM and conventional therapies is vital to ensuring safe, integrated use of all health care approaches.

In 2006, AARP and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health partnered to measure CAM use among older Americans and understand communication practices between patients and their physicians.

Methods AARP commissioned ICR, an independent research company, to conduct a telephone survey. Responses were obtained from a total of 1,559 people age 50 and older and weighted to reflect the U.S. population of that age. The overall margin of error is +/-2.48 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence interval.

Results Sixty-nine percent of older Americans who use CAM do not talk to their doctors about it. Reasons cited were because the physicians never asked (42 percent); they did not know that they should (30 percent); or there was not enough time during the office visit (19 percent).

Conclusion These findings point to a need to educate both consumers and physicians about the importance of an open and ongoing dialogue regarding the use of CAM and how that use may enhance—-or interact with—-conventional health care practices. NCCAM has developed an educational campaign, “Time to Talk” to encourage this dialogue.