[Alternative therapies in Denmark--use, users and motives for the use]

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Denmark, possible associations between the use of CAM and various socio-economic variables, and motives for the use of CAM.

Our data derived from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey, 2003. The sample consisted of 4,000 Danish citizens aged 18 years or older, of whom 2,593 (65%) completed the interviews. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between the use of CAM and various socio-economic variables.

The survey revealed that 40.2% had ever used CAM and 20.1% had used CAM within the last year. Of those reporting having used CAM ever, reflexology (22.7%), massage/osteopathy/other manipulative techniques (16.5%) and acupuncture (16.2%) were the most frequently used. The use of CAM was more common among women than men, among people aged 30-66 years and among people with 13-14 years of education. There was no association between marital status and CAM. Thirty-nine percent of those having ever used CAM stated that CAM is a supplement to the treatment received in the conventional Danish health care system. CAM was used mainly to treat mild symptoms/diseases (39%) and as prevention or for increased well-being (22%). More women than men stated that they wished to take an active part in their own treatment (30% versus 14%) and cited the unwanted side effects of conventional medicine (16% versus 7%) as a motive for using CAM.

This study shows that the use of CAM is not a hot trend but the continuation of a trend that shows no signs of slowing down.