Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Heart Disease Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Sheila Greenfield, Helen Pattison, Kate Jolly
Primary Institution: University of Birmingham
Hypothesis
This study aimed to explore the use of complementary and alternative medicines and therapies (CAM), self-test kits and attitudes towards health of UK patients one year after referral to cardiac rehabilitation.
Conclusion
Patients are independently using new technologies to monitor their cardiovascular health, with self-test kit use being more common than CAM use.
Supporting Evidence
- 91.1% of patients completed a questionnaire.
- 29.1% of patients used CAM and/or self-test kits for self-management.
- Self-test kit use was more common than CAM use, with 77.2% using self-test kits.
Takeaway
Patients with heart disease are using tools like self-test kits to check their health on their own, instead of just relying on doctors.
Methodology
Questionnaire given to 463 patients attending an assessment clinic for 12 month follow up in four West Midlands hospitals.
Potential Biases
Some selection bias occurred as patients who did not speak English were excluded.
Limitations
Patients who did not speak and or read English were not given a questionnaire, which may have influenced estimates of CAM use.
Participant Demographics
{"gender":{"male":322,"female":100},"ethnicity":{"white":349,"non_white":73},"age":{"mean":61.12,"range":"29 to 88"},"diagnosis_group":{"MI":202,"PTCA":170,"CABG":50},"rehabilitation_type":{"home":208,"hospital":214}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.009
Confidence Interval
1.18, 3.23
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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