About 70 percent of older adults use alternative medicine

[Guest guest]

Colleagues, the following is FYI and does not necessarily reflect my own

opinion. I have no further knowledge of the topic.

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Public release date: 9-Apr-2005

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/osu-a7p040605.php

Contact: Gong-Soog Hong

Hong.177@...

Ohio State University

About 70 percent of older adults use alternative medicine

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nearly three out of every four adults over age 50 use

some kind of alternative medicine, such as acupuncture and herbal

medicine, according to a new study.

While previous research has been limited, this appears to be a higher

rate than occurs within the general population, said Gong-Soog Hong,

co-author of the study and professor of consumer sciences at Ohio State

University.

This study found that 71 percent of older adults used some form of

alternative medicine in 2000. A study done in 2002, found a lower rate

-- about 62 percent – among all adults.

" The percentage of older adults who used alternative medicine was higher

than I expected, " Hong said.

" Many types of alternative medicine have not been tested for safety and

effectiveness, and yet a large majority of older adults are using them.

This tells us there is a serious need for more consumer education. "

Hong conducted the study with Montalto, associate professor,

and Vibha Bhargava, a graduate student, both in consumer sciences at

Ohio State. They presented their research April 9 in Columbus at the

annual meeting of the American Council on Consumer Interests.

The researchers used data from the 2000 Health and Retirement Survey,

conducted by the University of Michigan and funded mainly by the

National Institute on Aging. The survey included 848 respondents aged 50

and over.

The survey asked about the use of six types of alternative medicine:

chiropractor, acupuncture, massage therapy, breathing exercises, herbal

medicine, and meditation.

The most commonly used form of alternative medicine was chiropractor,

which about 43 percent of respondents had used. Acupuncture was the

least used.

Some of the results will need more research to explain, Hong said.

For example, the findings showed Blacks, widows, and more religious

people all tended to use alternative medicine more often than did other

older adults.

Other results were more readily understandable.

Respondents were more likely to use alternative medicine if they said

they were in poor health and if they reported more problems with daily

activities, such as carrying groceries, eating or bathing.

Of those who described their health as poor, 65 percent said they used

some form of alternative medicine they considered preventive or curative

– a higher percentage than among any other group. And about 63 percent

of respondents who said they were not satisfied with their health care

also tried alternative therapies classified as preventive or curative.

" Older adults tend to have more chronic illnesses, and conventional

medicine doesn't always solve their problems, " Hong said.

The aches and pains that often come with age may also send more older

adults to search for different kinds of treatments.

" Treatment of chronic pain is very difficult, " she said. " People who are

living with pain will try everything possible to alleviate it. Those

taking a holistic approach toward life may try something else such as

alternative medicine. "

However, the exact reasons why these older adults used alternative

medicine is not known from this research and needs further study, Hong

said. The fact that those who were less satisfied with their health care

were more likely to use alternative medicine does suggest some people

have issues with the current state of conventional health care.

Hong said the medical establishment has begun studying alternative

medicine and has begun to accept some forms of non-traditional medicine.

But more study needs to be done before they are generally accepted.

" Many people are using herbal medicines or massage therapy or other

treatments based on what they read in popular magazines or see on

television, " Hong said.

" More scientific research is needed to examine the safety and

effectiveness of alternative medicines, especially about possible

interaction effects when they are used along with prescription drugs. "

Hong and her colleagues are working on a new study that will take a more

comprehensive look at what alternative medicines people are using and

how often they are using them.

" Alternative medicine provides an important option in response to the

need for health care in the United States, " Hong said. " We need to know

more about who is using alternative medicine and ensuring that they are

educated about the medicines and therapies they are using. "

--

ne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar@... >

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

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