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Use of alternative therapies among emergency department patients
1Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Study Objective:
To assess emergency department patients' use of alternative therapies.
Methods:
This study used a cross-sectional observational survey of a convenience sample of ED patients. A trained research assistant administered a written questionnaire asking patients about alternative therapies.
Results:
Of the 139 patients surveyed, 78 (56%) had tried alternative therapies in the past, 68 (87%) of whom believed that they were effective. The most frequently tried alternative therapies were massage therapy (31%), chiropractic (30%), herbs (24%), meditation (19%), and acupuncture (15%). Most patients (70%) who tried alternative therapies did not inform their physicians of such practice.
Conclusion:
Most ED patients in our sample had tried alternative therapies and among these patients, most did not inform their physicians. Herbal therapy in particular had been tried by about 1 in 4 patients. Emergency physicians should routinely question their patients regarding the use of alternative therapies, particularly herbal preparations, which may cause adverse effects.