Complementary therapies in medicine
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Complement Ther Med · Oct 2012
ReviewCosts and consequences of acupuncture as a treatment for chronic pain: a systematic review of economic evaluations conducted alongside randomised controlled trials.
The economic burden that chronic pain conditions impose on individuals and society is significant. Acupuncture appears to be a clinically effective treatment for some chronic pain conditions. Given the need for policy decisions to be informed by economic evaluations, the objective of this systematic review was to synthesise data from economic evaluations to determine whether acupuncture for the treatment of chronic pain conditions is good value for money. ⋯ The cost per QALY gained in all seven cost-utility studies was found to be below typical thresholds of willingness to pay. Acupuncture appears to be a cost-effective intervention for some chronic pain conditions.
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Complement Ther Med · Oct 2012
Back pain amongst mid-age Australian women: a longitudinal analysis of provider use and self-prescribed treatments.
To analyse use of conventional and complementary and alternative (CAM) practitioners and self-prescribed CAM amongst mid-age Australian women with back pain. ⋯ Back pain is prevalent amongst mid-age Australian women, although only one third sought help. Women who sought help for their back pack were high users of CAM (practitioners and self-prescribed) and conventional care providers, consulting a CAM practitioner in complement with conventional biomedical consultations rather than as an alternative. Further research is needed to explore the complex contemporary landscapes of back pain negotiation and management.