Self-Reported Health Characteristics and Medication Consumption by CAM Users and Nonusers: A Swiss Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Objectives: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is very popular in Switzerland. The objective of this work was to find out whether the use of CAM therapies is associated with distinct health characteristics and altered consumption of conventional medications. Design and participants: Self-reported data from the 2007 Swiss Health Survey were analyzed. Two groups of participants were defined and compared with each other: CAM users (those who had used CAM during the last 12 months, n = 3333) and nonusers (those who stated they had not used CAM during the last 12 months, n = 9821). Outcome measures: Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the predictors of CAM use and to address relevance and magnitude of the differences in medication consumption between CAM users and nonusers. Results: Comparatively lower body-mass index (BMI) values and migraine, arthritis, allergies, and depression were associated with increased probability of CAM use. Multivariate logistic regression models that adjusted for the effects of relevant demographic factors, BMI, and perceived health status showed that CAM users consumed fewer medications for cardiovascular diseases-high blood pressure and high cholesterol (and, by trend, heart problems and diabetes)-than nonusers. On the other hand, their consumption of analgesics and medications for depression and for constipation (and, by trend, sedatives and soporifics), was higher than that of nonusers. Conclusions: Migraine, arthritis, depression, and constipation might lead patients to use CAM therapies and, in addition, to consume more of some conventional medications. Given the long intake period and considerable adverse effects of medications, the lower consumption of these agents for chronic cardiovascular problems by CAM users might be beneficial and deserves further investigations.

Complementary and alternative medicine use for constipation: a critical review focusing upon prevalence, type, cost, and users’ profile, perception and motivations

“…This review highlights that those using conventional medicine for their constipation are also likely to use CAM. In line with previous studies , constipated people appear to be open to a broad range of available treatments which may be useful to the management of constipation. However, the reasons for the preference of CAM treatments among constipated patients who use conventional treatments in comparison to those who do not use conventional treatments remain unknown.…”

Differences between vegetarian and omnivorous yoga practitioners—Results of a nationally representative survey of US adult yoga practitioners

“…Vegetarian yoga practitioners also differed from non-vegetarian yoga practitioners in that they were more likely to incorporate yogic breathing exercises and yoga meditation into their yoga Vegetarian yoga practitioners were also similar to users of CAM in that they were more likely to be middle-aged, non-smokers, and normal or underweight (14,16). However, vegetarian yoga practitioners differed from CAM users in that they were less likely to have private health insurance (14).…”

Kann Komplementärmedizin einen aktiven Beitrag zur Prävention von Übergewicht leisten?

“…Während die Public-Health-Experten sich darüber austauschen, wie eine Kampagne gegen Übergewicht zu gestalten ist, und Möglichkeiten wie finanzielle Anreize zum Abnehmen abwägen [41], zeigen die hier erwähnten Publikationen [11,12], dass es Bevölkerungsgruppen gibt, die schon jetzt durch ihre persönlichen Entscheidungen mögliche Wirkungen solcher präventiven Massnahmen übertreffen. Dass es sich dabei eher um eine «Bottom up»-Bewegung handelt, wie übrigens bei der Nutzung der Komplementärmedizin per se, ist naheliegend.…”

“…Auch weisen ehemalige Steiner-Schüler im Durchschnitt einen niedrigeren Body-Mass-Index (BMI) auf als eine zufällig gewählte vergleichbare Population [10]. Zwei vor Kurzem nach Peer Review veröffent-lichte Fachartikel zeigen eine niedrigere Prävalenz von Übergewicht bei den beiden Bevölkerungsgruppen, d.h. i) der Nutzer von Komplementärmedizin in der Schweiz [11] und ii) der Befürworter anthroposophischer Medizin und biologischer Ernährung in den Niederlanden [12]. Diese Studien deuten somit darauf hin, dass die Nutzung komplementärer Medizin und/oder assoziierte Lebensstile dem vorherrschenden Trend zu Übergewicht entgegenwirken, d.h., zur Prävention von Herz-KreislaufErkrankungen beitragen können (Abb.…”

“…1). Beide Arbeiten werden im Folgenden dargestellt, die verwendeten Methodologien erläutert und die erzielten Ergebnisse -insbesondere diejenigen zu Übergewicht -hervorgehoben (zusätzliche Informationen können den Originalpublikationen [11,12] entnommen werden).…”