Related Experiment Videos
Complementary and alternative medicine: what's it all about?
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School, 777 S Mills, Madison, WI 53715, USA. bbarrett@fammed.wisc.edu
WMJ : Official Publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin
|January 31, 2002
Summary
Many Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies alongside conventional care, but often don't discuss it with their doctors. Increased research and calls for integrated medicine highlight the evolving landscape of healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Healthcare Trends
- Evidence-Based Practice
Background:
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) encompasses a wide range of health interventions, from yoga and acupuncture to less common practices.
- Approximately 40% of the US population utilizes CAM annually, with most continuing conventional treatments.
- CAM use often occurs without physician disclosure, leading to divided medical professional opinions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current landscape of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).
- To examine the integration of CAM with conventional medicine.
- To discuss the diversity among CAM practitioners and patient-provider communication.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on CAM.
- Analysis of interview-based research on CAM user and provider perspectives.
- Examination of trends towards integrated medicine.
Main Results:
- A significant portion of the population uses CAM, often concurrently with conventional medicine.
- There is a notable lack of communication between patients using CAM and their physicians.
- Medical professionals hold diverse views on CAM, and CAM practitioners range from conventional to unconventional.
- Growing demand for evidence and research, including randomized controlled trials, is evident in the literature.
Conclusions:
- The majority of CAM users and practitioners are open to collaboration with conventional medicine.
- There is a clear call for more rigorous evidence to support CAM therapies.
- The future of CAM may lie in integrated medicine, but its long-term impact remains uncertain.