Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease
AU - Spinks, Jean
AU - Johnston, David
AU - Hollingsworth, Bruce
PY - 2014/2
Y1 - 2014/2
N2 - ObjectivesTo quantify the association between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and quality of life in a population with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease, accounting for demographics, socioeconomic status, health and lifestyle factors.Design and settingData are from a purpose-designed survey of 2915 individuals aged 18 years and over, all with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease (CVD), collected in 2010. Key variables are compared for comparability with nationally representative data.It was hypothesised that CAM use would be associated with higher quality of life, as measured by the Assessment of Quality of Life-4 dimension (AQoL-4D) instrument. Three key variables are used for CAM use in the previous twelve months. In the robustness analysis, CAM use is further disaggregated into the types of practitioner or product used, the frequency of use, the reason for use and expenditure on CAM.ResultsCAM use is not associated with higher QoL for this sub-population, and in fact intensive use of CAM practitioners is associated with significantly lower QoL.ConclusionsIt is important not to assume that patients have sufficient information with which to make optimal choices regarding CAM use in the absence of accessible and relevant evidence-based guidance.
AB - ObjectivesTo quantify the association between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and quality of life in a population with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease, accounting for demographics, socioeconomic status, health and lifestyle factors.Design and settingData are from a purpose-designed survey of 2915 individuals aged 18 years and over, all with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease (CVD), collected in 2010. Key variables are compared for comparability with nationally representative data.It was hypothesised that CAM use would be associated with higher quality of life, as measured by the Assessment of Quality of Life-4 dimension (AQoL-4D) instrument. Three key variables are used for CAM use in the previous twelve months. In the robustness analysis, CAM use is further disaggregated into the types of practitioner or product used, the frequency of use, the reason for use and expenditure on CAM.ResultsCAM use is not associated with higher QoL for this sub-population, and in fact intensive use of CAM practitioners is associated with significantly lower QoL.ConclusionsIt is important not to assume that patients have sufficient information with which to make optimal choices regarding CAM use in the absence of accessible and relevant evidence-based guidance.
KW - Complementary therapies
KW - Quality of life
KW - Chronic illness
KW - Health behaviours
KW - Health services
U2 - 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.11.007
DO - 10.1016/j.ctim.2013.11.007
M3 - Journal article
VL - 22
SP - 107
EP - 115
JO - Complementary Therapies in Medicine
JF - Complementary Therapies in Medicine
SN - 0965-2299
IS - 1
ER -