Lim Alissa, Cranswick Noel, Skull Susan, South Mike
Department of General Medicine, University of Melbourne, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
J Paediatr Child Health. 2005 Aug;41(8):424-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2005.00659.x.
The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the Australian community is common. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of CAM usage in children attending a tertiary children's hospital.
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of children attending the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Children were identified by consecutive acute admissions and attendance at outpatient clinics. A structured questionnaire with items about the use of CAM in the preceding year was administered by means of a face-to-face interview.
Based on the 503 children surveyed, 51% reported CAM use in the preceding year. Forty-three percent had used at least one CAM medication. The most common medicinal CAM used were multivitamins, vitamin C, herbal remedies and homeopathic treatments. Non-medicinal CAM was used by 23% of the participants. The most commonly used therapies were chiropractic, naturopathy, aromatherapy, therapeutic massage and dietary restriction. The main reasons stated for CAM usage included promotion of general health and treatment of colds. Sixty-three percent of those reporting CAM use had not discussed this with their treating doctor.
The use of CAM by children is common. Complementary and alternative medicine is particularly used for the treatment of common illnesses and conditions of childhood. Importantly, use is not always conveyed to treating physicians. Given the potential risk of adverse events associated with the use of CAM or interactions with conventional management, doctors should ask about their use as a part of routine history taking.
在澳大利亚社区，补充和替代医学（CAM）的使用很普遍。本研究的目的是确定在一家三级儿童医院就诊的儿童中CAM的使用 prevalence 和模式。
我们对墨尔本皇家儿童医院的儿童进行了一项横断面调查。通过连续的急性入院病例和门诊就诊情况来确定儿童。通过面对面访谈的方式，使用一份关于前一年CAM使用情况的结构化问卷进行调查。
基于503名接受调查的儿童，51%报告在前一年使用过CAM。43%的儿童至少使用过一种CAM药物。最常用的药用CAM是多种维生素、维生素C、草药疗法和顺势疗法。23%的参与者使用过非药用CAM。最常用的疗法是脊椎按摩疗法、自然疗法、芳香疗法、治疗性按摩和饮食限制。报告使用CAM的主要原因包括促进整体健康和治疗感冒。63%报告使用CAM的儿童未与他们的主治医生讨论过此事。
儿童使用CAM很普遍。补充和替代医学尤其用于治疗儿童常见疾病和病症。重要的是，使用情况并不总是告知主治医生。鉴于使用CAM可能存在不良事件风险或与传统治疗相互作用，医生在常规病史询问中应询问CAM的使用情况。
