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Complementary and alternative therapy use in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Alexa K Stuifbergen¹, Tracie Culp Harrison

¹University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, 1700 Red River, Austin, TX 78701, USA. astuifbergen@mail.utexas.edu

Rehabilitation Nursing : the Official Journal of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses

|October 3, 2003

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Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) use complementary and alternative therapies (CATs), perceiving them as helpful. Clinicians should discuss CAT use with MS patients.

Area of Science:

Neurology
Integrative Medicine
Public Health

Background:

Complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) are frequently used by the general population.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients also commonly utilize CATs.
Understanding CAT use patterns in MS is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the prevalence and perceived effectiveness of various CATs among individuals with MS.
To identify characteristics of MS patients who use CATs.
To explore the relationship between CAT use and other health behaviors.

Main Methods:

Survey of 621 individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Data collection on current and past use of different CATs.
Assessment of perceived helpfulness of CATs and demographic/illness variables.

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Main Results:

One-third of MS participants currently use one or more CATs; 50% have tried them previously.
Most reported CATs were perceived as beneficial by users.
No significant differences in demographic or illness factors were found between CAT users and non-users.
CAT use was positively correlated with other health-promoting behaviors.

Conclusions:

Complementary and alternative therapies are widely used and generally viewed positively by people with MS.
Clinicians should proactively and nonjudgmentally inquire about CAT use in their MS patient population.
Further research may explore specific CATs and their impact on MS management.