Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2006; 11: 28
To determine the prevalence and determinants of CM use in a multi-ethnic paediatric outpatient population.
A parent-completed questionnaire survey of 201 paediatric outpatients attending general and sub-specialist clinics was conducted at a North West London hospital. The questionnaire investigated the use of CM, including cost, attendance, sources of CM, perceived efficacy, reasons for use and communication with doctors. Standardised questionnaires explored beliefs in medicines and health locus of control. Data was analysed using cross tabulations, chi-squared, t-test and multiple logistic regression. COREC ethical approval was obtained.
Results showed that 37% of parents used CM for their children. Use was correlated with parental CM use (P < 0.001), income (P = 0.05) and education (P = 0.01). Parental CM use and child’s health status were significant predictors of CM use (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05). The main reason for using CM was word of mouth (65%) and the main source of information was friends and family (51%). Homoeopathy and herbal medicine were the most popular treatments. Sixty-one per cent of CM was bought OTC and 54% of CM use was not reported to the children’s doctors. Parents who used CM for their children had significantly stronger beliefs in the overuse of conventional medicine (P = 0.031).
These results suggest that the prevalence of CM use for children in the UK is much higher than previously estimated. This has safety implications and indicates the need for greater awareness of CM amongst child health-care and primary care professionals.
