Alternative Worldviews and the Utilization of Conventional and Complementary Medicine*

Abstract

We use the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) database and an expanded Anderson model that incorporates health beliefs, including sacred worldviews as predisposing factors, to explore conventional and complementary and alternative medical (CAM) service use. Findings are that health care need, especially the number of chronic conditions is positively associated with both conventional and CAM services use. However, net of need, health beliefs and sacred worldviews differentiate CAM users versus nonusers or the number of different CAM practices that are used. Higher self-rated spirituality is associated with being a CAM user and, if a user, with adopting a wider range of practices. Individuals with higher self-rated religiosity are not more or less likely to be CAM users but adopt significantly fewer techniques, if users. We discuss the attraction to very different faces of health care, on the basis of religiosity, spirituality, and other health beliefs, with implications for policymakers and care providers.

Complementary and alternative medicines, embodied subjectivity and experiences of healing

“…The sample is, as such, focused on middle class views and experiences. This is consistent with the research that has connected complementary medicine use with middle or nonmanual class background and high levels of education (Conboy et al, 2005;Hildreth and Elman, 2007;Ong et al, 2002;Ruggie, 2004;Thomas and Coleman, 2004;Xue et al, 2007), as well as with higher than average income levels (Conboy et al, 2005;Eisenberg et al, 1998;Thomas Health 17(5) and Coleman, 2004;Xue et al, 2007). Much complementary medicine use is, however, left outside the scope of this research.…”

Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in the General Population in the Czech Republic

“…In other studies, one in four patients taking prescription medication or up to half of the study population with chronic conditions combined CAM with conventional medicines [19,20,21,22]. Moreover, prior findings suggest that CAM users consulted conventional medical providers more often than non-CAM users and in many instances did not disclose CAM use to their healthcare provider [23,24,25]. …”

When one door closes, another door opens: Physician availability and motivations to consult complementary and alternative medicine providers

“…Consequently, almost half of the sample said that they were getting by financially (47.7%), 34.9% described their financial status as comfortable, and 17.4% reported that they were struggling with some immediate financial concerns. Most of the participants were fairly well educated with 66.4% having one year or more of a university or college undergraduate education (excluding graduate school), 23% having a high school education or less, and 10.6% having attended graduate school.…”

“…Finally, motivations to use CAM have been linked to certain age groups, 29 being female, 30 more educated, [30][31] having greater perceived control over health, [32][33] and having poorer health status. [31][32][33][34] Accordingly, we examined dissatisfaction and access difficulties within the context of these variables.…”