Alternative therapies in health and medicine
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Altern Ther Health Med · Jan 2002
Multicenter StudyIntegration and reimbursement of complementary and alternative medicine by managed care and insurance providers: 2000 update and cohort analysis.
To assess the status of managed care and insurance coverage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and the integration of such services into managed care. ⋯ Consumer demand for CAM is motivating more MCOs and insurance companies to assess the clinical and cost benefits of incorporating CAM. Outcomes studies for both conventional and CAM therapies are needed to help create a healthcare system based on treatments that work, whether they are conventional, complementary, alternative, or integrative medicine.
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Altern Ther Health Med · Jan 2002
ReviewAlternative treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: does evidence support their use?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects approximately 2 to 3 million children in the United States. Stimulant medication is one of the most common treatments for ADHD; however, adverse reactions from its use cause many parents to seek complementary or alternative treatments. Many individuals use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) because they are attracted to CAM philosophies and health beliefs, dissatisfied with the process or results of their conventional care, or concerned about adverse effects of stimulants. ⋯ Alternative treatments often include neurofeedback, homeopathy, herbal medicines, iron supplements, and dietary modifications or supplements. Although anecdotal and empirical evidence is surfacing to support the efficacy of these alternatives, further research is needed before they can be regarded as effective, reliable treatments for ADHD. Therefore, the use of more conventional treatments should be considered if alternative interventions prove unsuccessful.