Over one-third of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The prevalence among cancer patients may even be higher. Complementary therapies may reduce possible symptom burdens caused by conventional cancer treatments. Integrating CAM therapies has become more common and more accepted in clinical oncology. However, little research is available on beneficial CAM therapies for r...

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including the ingestion of natural health products (NHPs), is common among cancer patients. Of concern to clinicians and patients alike is the possibility that CAM, used concurrently with biomedical therapy, may interact poorly with that therapy, especially chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Proponents of NHPs argue that taking such products ...

BACKGROUND Recently, numerous studies have revealed an increase in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in US civilian populations. In contrast, few studies have examined CAM use within military populations, which have ready access to conventional medicine. Currently, the prevalence and impact of CAM use in US military populations remains unknown. METHODS To investigate CAM use in...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated approach to the teaching of evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a pharmacy curriculum. DESIGN Evidence-based CAM education was integrated throughout the third, fourth, and fifth years of the pharmacy curriculum. Specifically, an introductory module focusing on CAM familiarization was added in the third year a...

Patients and families increasingly press hospitals to facilitate provision of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies and products. At the same time, a growing number of hospitals and health care facilities have taken steps to integrate CAM and conventional care. In this article we consider institutional responsibilities when patients/parents use or are considering CAM. We (1) re...

Scholarship concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices within the United States could benefit from incorporating sociological perspectives into the development of a comprehensive research agenda. We review the literature on health and wellness emphasizing definitions and distinctions, the health lifestyles literature emphasizing issues of both life choices and life chance...

OBJECTIVES To determine pharmacy faculty members' and students' attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). METHODS A survey was used to obtain data on the following information concerning CAM: general attitudes, perceived barriers to use, training received and desired, personal use, and information sources used. RESULTS In general, attitudes...

OBJECTIVE To determine general attitudes and approaches to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among physicians who care for gynecologic oncology patients. METHODS Surveys were mailed to members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and the Michigan Oncology Group. Physicians were asked to rate their general attitude toward CAM. RESULTS Surveys were obtained from 462 physicians...

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular in Australia, with CAM practitioners making up the third largest group of health professionals nationwide. Practice characteristics, education, and regulatory requirements differ widely, and this article provides a snapshot of the contemporary Australian CAM workforce.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The wide array of treatments and modalities comprising complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) represent a growing option for many individuals. Seeking to better understand this, much research has centered on identifying sociodemographic (e.g., age, gender, race) or social-psychologic (e.g., absorption, depression, coping) correlates of using CAM therapies. In con...