Functional Disabilities, Complemental and Alternative Medicine Use, and Cancer Screening Rates in National Health Interview Survey 2012

Previous studies have shown that having multiple comorbidities decreases cancer screening rates among persons with functional disabilities (FD). Although health promotion programs targeting chronic disease management skills are available, few studies have investigated how non-conventional medicine use was truly associated with cancer screening rates. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the associations of Complemental and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use with mammogram and Pap test rates and FD. Data were derived from national representative women aged 50 to 75 years from the National Health Interview Survey 2012. FD was defined as physical and/or social limitations. The weighted logistic regression models were performed using SAS software. Study covariates were age, race, education, marital status, usual source of care, and insurance. Of 13,512 women, a majority were Caucasian (87%), with GED or less (43%), married (71%), having usual source of care (98%) and health insurance (88%), and without FD (72%). The major comorbidities were hypertension (61%), arthritis (59%), and COPD (40%). The results indicated that the CAM practices were negatively or positively associated with increased mammogram and Pap test rates. When women had FD, musculoskeletal problems such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation and movement therapies; and traditional healer were associated with the increased mammogram and Pap test rates. The CAM use was associated with better screening rates due to the improvement of musculoskeletal problems if FD existed.  To improve cancer screening behaviors, targeting of chronic disease management skills related to FD and arthritis in community settings is important