Complementary and alternative medicine use in children with asthma

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Integrative Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Asthma management often involves conventional treatments.
• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is prevalent but underreported in pediatric populations.
• Understanding CAM use patterns in pediatric asthma is crucial for comprehensive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of CAM use in children with asthma.
• To identify predictors associated with CAM utilization.
• To assess perceived benefits and adverse effects of CAM therapies.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 161 children with asthma.
• Data collection on CAM modalities, usage patterns, and perceived outcomes.
• Analysis of factors influencing CAM use and healthcare provider communication.

Main Results:

• High prevalence of CAM use (76.4%) in pediatric asthma patients.
• Commonly used CAM modalities include humidifiers, air purifiers, and multivitamins.
• CAM use correlated with family history, younger age, and asthma severity; most users perceived benefits with few adverse effects.
• Low disclosure of CAM use to healthcare providers (36.7%).

Conclusions:

• CAM use is common among children with asthma, with a high perceived benefit.
• Clinicians should be aware of CAM prevalence to guide discussions with families.
• Facilitating open dialogue about CAM can improve patient care and safety.