Provider and patient expectations for dietary supplement discussions

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Communication

Background:

• Widespread dietary supplement use in the U.S. often occurs without provider disclosure.
• Healthcare providers and patients may lack guidance on discussing supplement use during visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate provider and patient expectations for discussing dietary supplements in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semi-structured interviews with 35 healthcare providers (primary care, integrative medicine, CAM) and 107 patients.
• Employed qualitative analysis using grounded theory and iterative review of interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Providers and patients identified 12 shared topics for discussion, including supplement risks, benefits, and efficacy.
• Providers frequently raised topics like dosage and evidence, while patients often omitted supplement costs and regulations.
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) providers discussed brands and mega-dosing, unlike primary care providers.

Conclusions:

• Shared understanding exists on the importance of discussing supplement use for patient safety.
• Patients may not fully consider cost or regulatory information impacting supplement choices.
• Further research is needed to evaluate comprehensive discussion strategies for informed patient decision-making.