Linkages between conventional medical care and ACHP utilization

Given that utilization of alternative and complementary health practices (ACHP) has nearly doubled between 1993 and 2002 and that dissatisfaction with conventional medical care has risen, it is important to understand the linkages between ACHP and conventional medicine utilization, specifically testing if individuals are drawn to ACHP because of dissatisfaction with the structure and nature of managed care. Using the 2002 National Health Interview Survey, zero-inflated regression models were employed to test if delays in seeking conventional medical care influenced both the decision to try ACHP as well as how many types of ACHP an individual uses. Results indicate that individuals who are dissatisfied with conventional medical care, both in structure and nature of managed care, as well as with the cost, are more likely to use ACHP and use more types of ACHP. Individuals have significantly higher odds of being ACHP users if they delayed seeking conventional care due to cost (OR=1.31) or due to organizational inaccessibility (OR=1.96). Similarly, individuals have significantly higher numbers of ACHP types used if they delayed seeking conventional care due to cost (IRR=1.19) or due to organizational inaccessibility (IRR=1.16). The current structure of the conventional health care system has created barriers that often make conventional health care inaccessible or too costly. Individuals who face these barriers are pushed not only into trying ACHP, but then go on to try a greater number of types of ACHP, a finding not in previous research.