Factors related to regular use of complementary/alternative medicine in Turkey

The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of regular complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) use and to investigate the relations between some of the psychosocial and health related factors and the regular use of any CAM method.

Nine hundred and eighty-eight adults whose ages ranged from 18 to 80 were surveyed in Izmir, Turkey. Participants were grouped as "regular CAM users" (n = 404), "irregular CAM users" (n = 445) and "non-users" (n = 139).

Praying was the most frequently used CAM method (76%) among regular CAM users. Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the variables significantly related with the regular CAM use were perceived effectiveness of the CAM method used in the past, attitudes towards CAM, having information about CAM methods, health awareness and educational status.

Participants who positively perceived the effects of the CAM method they had practised, have positive attitudes towards CAM, have higher health awareness, have more information about the CAM methods and have primary school degree were more likely to be a regular user of CAM.