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Motivation, recommendation, and information sources for common provider-based complementary and alternative medicine therapies - chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, massage, and acupuncture: Analysis of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey
Methods: Secondary data analysis of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey 2012 Adult Alternative Medicine File (n=34,545) was performed on three first choice CAM therapies regarding motivators, recommendation, and information sources.
Results: Chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation (25%), massage (13%), and acupuncture (2.4%) were most commonly reported. Top motivations for seeking included: perception that CAM therapy combined with medical treatment would help (67%); treats the cause and not just symptoms (55%); it is ‘natural’ (39%); medical treatments do not work for specific health problem (29%); focuses on the whole person, mind, body, and spirit (29%); and medications caused side effects (17%). Recommendations came from family members (29%), friends (28%), medical doctors (19%), or co-workers (10%). Information sources included the internet, books, magazines, or newspapers, scientific articles, and television/radio.
Conclusion: Understanding motivation and information sources will help to improve safety and prevention for those seeking CAM therapies. Motivators for seeking CAM emphasize the importance of collaboration between CAM and medical practitioners and potential benefits of integration of common provider-based CAM therapies into medical settings. Family, friends, and medical doctors play an important role. Distribution of evidence-based, patient-centered materials about CAM therapies through the internet, popular press, and scientific articles may help inform patients, healthcare providers, and public health professionals, and improve communication and collaboration between health professionals.
Learning Areas:
Communication and informaticsDiversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Discuss motivators and information sources for the most commonly used Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies in the US population from the 2012 NHIS sample.
Compare similarities and differences amongst motivators, recommendation, and information sources between the top three CAM therapies.
Identify future actions based upon the study findings for the APHA Chiropractic Health Care section and other public health professionals to develop evidence-based, patient-centered, communication materials to inform patients and healthcare providers.
Keyword(s): Chiropractic, Public Health Research
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have experience in medical communications and evidence-based information in my role as a scientific journal editor and am currently doing research in public health using the NHIS database. I have met all 4 of the criteria for authorship. I have a degree in health professions education from the University of Southern California and have participated in clinical/educational programs that are healthcare related.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.