Mackenzie Elizabeth R, Taylor Lynne, Bloom Bernard S, Hufford David J, Johnson Jerry C
Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, USA.
Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;9(4):50-6.
US research results suggest that some sociodemographic characteristics predict use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Specifically, use of CAM has been positively associated with persons from higher socioeconomic status groups and negatively associated with African-Americans.
To investigate the sociodemographic characteristics of CAM utilizers in a national probability sample, one containing an over-sampling of ethnic minorities.
We tested the hypothesis that CAM use is prevalent among many different ethnic groups in the US. by analyzing a subset of data from The 1995 National Comparative Survey of Minority Health Care of The Commonwealth Fund, a national probability sample of 3,789 persons with an over-sampling of ethnic minorities. The survey was conducted by telephone in 6 languages. We analyzed use of CAM (defined by 5 items: herbal medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, traditional healer, home remedy) within the last year.
Use of 1 or more CAM modalities did not differ by ethnicity. Overall, 43.1% of the respondents reported using 1 or more CAM modality. Predictors of CAM use were female gender, being uninsured, and having a high school education or above.
Use of CAM is equally prevalent among white, African-American/black, Latino, Asian, and Native American populations in the US, but characteristics of utilizers vary considerably by specific CAM modality.
美国的研究结果表明，一些社会人口学特征可预测补充和替代医学（CAM）的使用情况。具体而言，CAM的使用与较高社会经济地位群体的人呈正相关，与非裔美国人呈负相关。
在一个包含少数族裔过度抽样的全国概率样本中，调查CAM使用者的社会人口学特征。
我们通过分析英联邦基金1995年全国少数族裔医疗保健比较调查中的一部分数据来检验这一假设，即CAM在美国许多不同种族群体中都很普遍。该调查是一个全国概率样本，共3789人，其中少数族裔进行了过度抽样。调查通过电话用6种语言进行。我们分析了过去一年中CAM的使用情况（由5项定义：草药、针灸、脊椎按摩疗法、传统治疗师、家庭疗法）。
使用一种或多种CAM方式的情况在不同种族间没有差异。总体而言，43.1%的受访者报告使用了一种或多种CAM方式。CAM使用的预测因素为女性、未参保以及具有高中及以上学历。
在美国，白人、非裔美国人/黑人、拉丁裔、亚裔和美国原住民人群中CAM的使用同样普遍，但使用者的特征因具体CAM方式而有很大差异。
