Populational Uses of Complementary Therapies via a Digital Platform in France: Motivations and Needs

Background: Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) encompasses over 400 modalities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2011, 70% of the European Union's population reported having used CIM at least once, with 25% using it annually. This study examines the engagement, motivations, and satisfaction of users in the French health care system through data from Medoucine, France's largest online platform for complementary therapies. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive analysis was conducted using Medoucine's database from 2017 to 2023, adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Data were sourced from practitioner profiles, appointment logs, and patient comments collected at baseline (day 0, J0) and follow-up (day 30, J30). Survey questions, including "What type of complementary therapy are you seeking?" provided clarity on how CIM therapies were introduced. The study included a "recommendation question" at baseline to evaluate satisfaction: "Would you recommend this practitioner to your friends and family?". Response rates varied between 10% and 67%, depending on the question. Categorical variables were analyzed as percentages. Results: Among 225,251 platform users, 67.7% (152,464) responded to the recommendation question at J0, 15% (33,823) reported health improvements at J30, and 10% (22,596) discovered sustainable health strategies. Most users were women (68.6%). Key motivations included well-being and personal development (17.4%), stress, anxiety, and phobias (17.1%), and sleep disorders (7%). Hypnosis (15%), traditional Chinese medicine (8.4%), and reflexology (6.7%) were the most commonly selected modalities. At J30, 74.8% reported health improvements, with notable benefits for well-being (80.7%) and stress (76.3%). Conclusion: This study underscores the growing demand for CIM therapies in France, driven by a need for stress relief, personal development, and physical and psychological health management. High satisfaction rates and perceived health benefits highlight the potential of CIM to complement conventional care. Integrating evidence-based CIM into mainstream health care systems, as recommended by the WHO, offers an opportunity to address patient needs and enhance health care delivery.