Integrative Medicine Insights

Background: Population-based data about utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among those with chronic conditions is lacking.

Objective: To describe whether CAM use by California adults with cancer and other chronic conditions reflects condition specific patterns or a general tendency to use CAM modalities.

Methods: Interviews of 9,187 respondents including all participants with cancer from a prior representative survey of California households, and a stratified sample of all other respondents. Almost 74% of the respondents reported at least one chronic health problem.

Results: Use of all forms of CAM among those with chronic health problems is high. Those with a diagnosis of cancer are more likely to use prayer, dietary supplements, and support groups, and less likely to use CAM providers and special diets. Overall, individuals diagnosed with most chronic problems use a similar set of CAM modalities. Demographic correlates of CAM use differ in their impact and vary according to what type of CAM is being used.

Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware that while a diagnosis of cancer is associated with a greater use of some forms of CAM, overall patterns of CAM use are similar to those with most other chronic problems.