Aquatic exercise exceeded $50,000 per QALY gained using the community-weighted outcome but fell below this arbitrary budget constraint when using the participant-weighted measure. Confidence intervals around these ratios suggested wide variability of cost effectiveness of aquatic exercise.

Objective To examine the rates of use and expenditures on alternative therapies by adults with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Adults with OA recruited from the community to participate in a randomized clinical trial recorded alternative and traditional health care use on postcard diaries. General and arthritis‐specific quality of life was assessed by questionnaires. Results More than 47% of participants reported using at least one type of alternative care during the 20‐week intervention period. Among alternative care consumers, the most commonly used treatments were massage therapy (57%), chiropractic services (20.7%), and nonprescribed alternative medications (17.2%). Four percent of subjects reported using only alternative care during the study period. Expenditures for alternative therapy averaged $1,127 per year, compared with $1,148 for traditional therapies. Conclusion Use of and expenditures for alternative care were high among this cohort of older adults with OA. Clinicians may want to inquire about use of these therapies before recommending treatments for this condition.

Objective: To compare knowledge of and interest in genetic testing for hereditary colon cancer syndromes. Methods: Colorectal cancer patients, first-degree relatives of colon cancer patients and controls were recruited from a familial cancer registry. Focus groups explored attitudes about genetic testing. Results: All three groups conveyed interest in testing, but lacked knowledge about testing and its implications. After receiving information regarding the potential benefits and costs of testing (including insurance and employment issues) all three groups were disinclined to be tested. The reasons varied among risk groups. Conclusions: When informed about the costs and implications of testing, individuals may be reluctant to undergo genetic testing, regardless of baseline risk. Barriers to testing will vary depending on the perceived risk of carrying a mutation

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