Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among patients with hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and hypertension in the United States

Objective: Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes are major risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, renal failure, morbidity and mortality. The increasing proportion of Americans with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or diabetes pose significant public health challenges with far reaching social and economic consequences. The purpose of our study is twofold: 1) estimate the prevalence of CAM use, and 2) examine correlates of CAM utilization among persons with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or diabetes. Methods: Data for 9,557 adult Americans were obtained from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and CAM supplement. The outcome of interest was CAM use among persons with diabetes, hypercholesterolemia or hypertension. Data were weighted and analyzed using Stata software version 12 for Windows. In addition to descriptive and bivariate statistics, multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds of CAM use by selected covariates. Results: The sample was 55% female and 45% male. CAM use was reported as follows; manipulative therapy (44%); biologically based (73%); mind body based systems (51.8%), alternative systems (1,6%), and less than 1% energy based systems. Women (58%) had significantly higher rates of CAM use (chi=87.7; p=0.000). At the multivariate level, gender, age, race, educational status, lack of a regular source of care, and hypercholesterolemia (p <0.05).Conclusion: Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for the significant covariates will be discussed. Further, policy implications for strategies for prevention and increasing access to care will be discussed.