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Most common conditions presenting to the top provider-based complementary and alternative medicine therapies in the US adult population: 2012 National Health Interview Survey
Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey Adult Complementary and Alternative Medicine Public Use File. The first of top 3 most important provider-based therapies were identified. We identified the 5 most common conditions presenting for these therapies and what percentage reported that the therapy helped the condition.
Results: Of the 34,525 NHIS respondents, 4496 (13%) reported using CAM. The first of top 3 most important therapies were: chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation (25%), massage (13%), and acupuncture (2.4%). Most common reasons for using these therapies were: back pain (26.0%); neck pain (7.9%); joint pain/stiffness (7.2%); arthritis (4.1%); and muscle or bone pain (3.6%). Perceptions that the therapy helped for chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, massage, or acupuncture, respectively, were: arthritis (90%, 85%, 83%), back pain (90%, 85%, 81%), joint pain (90%, 90%, 69%), muscle bone pain (91%, 86%, 73%), and neck pain (92%, 90%, 75%).
Conclusion: Chronic musculoskeletal diseases, joint pain, and arthritis are public health priorities. This study showed that musculoskeletal problems are common reasons that adult Americans seek CAM therapies; the most common therapies are chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, massage, and acupuncture. The majority reported that their self-selected top therapy helped their condition. Further studies on the safety, effectiveness, and cost of the top 3 therapies are warranted.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and preventionEpidemiology
Learning Objectives:
Identify the top 3 most common provider-based CAM therapies used in the United States.
List the top 5 most common conditions that Americans seek CAM therapies.
Discuss the perceptions of CAM patients regarding if the top therapy helped the condition for which they presented.
Keyword(s): Alternative and Complementary Health, Chronic Disease Management and Care
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have met all 3 of the criteria for authorship: 1) substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, and analysis and interpretation of data; 2) drafting the abstract and revising it critically for important intellectual content; and 3) final approval of the version to be submitted.
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.