Traditional, complementary/alternative medicine (CAM/T) is popular in South-Asian countries, where accessibility and cost of conventional medicine is an issue. This survey explores CAM/T use in a sub-urban population in Pakistan. A validated questionnaire was used to survey 355 participants, selected by systematic sampling. Among them 63% believed in the potential of CAM/T to heal while 58% preferred CAM/T over conventional medicine, mainly because of cost-effectiveness. Around 82% had either been to a CAM/T healthcare provider or used selfhelp practices in the last one year for health and 85% said that they do not inform their physicians about CAM/T use. Females were more likely to consult a CAM/T provider for symptoms like back pain, leucorrhoea and body aches. This popularity of CAM/T in our region promotes to gain an insight into the use of CAM/T in communities for integration of CAM/T with conventional healthcare leading to cost-effective and efficient primary healthcare.
Traditional and complementary/alternative medicine use in a South-Asian population
2015-09-30
Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences; Vol. 2 No. 3 (2015): Vol 2 | Issue 3 | July - September 2015; 36-42 ; 2349-0659 ; 2350-0964
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
DDC: | 629 |
Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Conventional Medicine: Hand in Hand
British Library Online Contents | 2013
|Alternative lifestyle - Depressed South East Asian box builders diversify
Online Contents | 1996
Alternative lifestyle - Depressed South East Asian box builders diversify
British Library Online Contents | 1996
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
BASE | 2011
|A clinical tool for evaluating complementary and alternative medicine utilization and risk
BASE | 2014
|