Use and users of complementary and alternative medicine among people with multiple sclerosis in Denmark

It is known that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular among people with multiple Sclerosis (MS) and that use is widespread. However, very limited knowledge exists about use and users of CAM among people with MS in a Danish context.

The overall aim of the thesis is to investigate how and why people with MS in Denmark include CAM in managing their life with a chronic disease and to discuss their experiences and beliefs linked to CAM use.

A mixed methods research design was applied, combining an Internet-based survey with two qualitative in-depth interview studies. A total of 6,850 people with MS from the five Nordic countries, of these 3,500 from Denmark, were invited to participate in the survey. The average response rate was 56.1%. Based on analyses of the Danish survey data, two specific issues regarding the use of CAM were selected for further investigation and two qualitative interview studies were performed (n = 17, n = 11), using program theory and meaning categorization as analytical tools.

The results of the study indicate that the use of CAM among people with MS is widespread in Denmark as well as in the other Nordic countries. The results furthermore suggest that this use is generally embedded in a preventative, autonomous approach to treatment and that the users' choices regarding CAM may be related to many personal factors and do not necessarily represent a distrust of the medical system.

The results of the study point to the relevance of healthcare professionals engaging in understanding patients' different motives for - and experiences with - using different types of treatments. Thereby, the results of the study also point to the importance of enhancing and qualifying communication between patients and representatives of conventional healthcare systems regarding the patients' use of CAM, both with the aim of mutual learning and for reasons of safety.