The journal of alternative and complementary medicine : research on paradigm, practice, and policy
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J Altern Complement Med · Nov 2007
Use of complementary and alternative therapies in community-dwelling older adults.
Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States, knowledge regarding complementary and alternative therapy use in older adults is limited. The purposes of this study were to (1) assess the prevalence and patterns of CAM use in a probability-based sample of older adults; (2) describe the characteristics of older CAM users; and (3) identify factors associated with complementary and alternative medicine use/nonuse. ⋯ CAM use is common in older adults, especially those with health problems. The widespread use of oral supplements combined with not disclosing CAM use to primary care providers is a concern.
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J Altern Complement Med · Nov 2007
Seeking an oracle: using the Delphi process to develop practice guidelines for the treatment of endometriosis with Chinese herbal medicine.
For most complementary and alternative medicine interventions, the absence of a high-quality evidence base to define good practice presents a serious problem for clinicians, educators, and researchers. The Delphi process may offer a pragmatic way to establish good practice guidelines until more rigorous forms of assessment can be undertaken. ⋯ In the absence of rigorous evidence, Delphi offers a way to synthesize expert knowledge relating to diagnosis, patient management, and herbal selection in the treatment of endometriosis. The limitations of the expert group and the inability of Delphi to capture the subtle nuances of individualized clinical decision-making limit the usefulness of this approach.
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A paper entitled "Core Competencies in Integrative Medicine for Medical School Curricula: A proposal," published in Academic Medicine, stimulated a broad discussion among complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) educators. This discussion led to a formal process for responding to the issues raised by the paper. ⋯ A major overall theme emerging from the Delphi process was a desire for closer collaboration between conventional medical schools and CAM academic institutions in developing IM curricula. Several cross-disciplinary venues for addressing the Delphi Task Force themes include the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine's R-25 Initiatives, and the National Education Dialogue. OCCIM is presented as an example of a successful lateral integration approach.
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J Altern Complement Med · Nov 2007
Turkish general practitioners and complementary/alternative medicine.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is in the spotlight of society. However, what is the position of physicians at this point? ⋯ GPs are aware of the subject's importance and want to learn more about CAM and improve their knowledge. It would be reasonable to provide training possibilities for GPs, primarily for the CAM types highly used by the population and most requested by the physicians.