Rheumatology Patients' Use of Complementary Therapies

Results From a One-Year Longitudinal Study

RAO, JAYA K.
KROENKE, KURT
MIHALIAK, KIMBERLY A.
GRAMBOW, STEVEN C.
WEINBERGER, MORRIS

¹Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
²Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis, Indiana
³Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
⁴Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis, Indiana

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Jaya K. Rao, MD, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS K-51, Atlanta, GA 30341. E-mail: [email protected].

Current address: Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Health Care and Aging Studies Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

Current address: Morris Weinberger, PhD, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Presented in part at the 64th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, November 2000.

Dr. Rao's work was funded by the Picker-Commonwealth Faculty Scholars Program Grant No. 97066 and by HSR&D Career Development Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the HSR&D Career Scientist Program, Department of Veterans Affairs.

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Submitted for publication May 17, 2002; accepted in revised from October 19, 2002.

Arthritis & Rheumatism 49(5):p 619-625, October 2003.

Objective

To examine the natural history of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and its impact on outcomes within a cohort of rheumatology patients.

Methods

Consecutive patients were recruited from 3 university and 3 private rheumatology practices. Baseline chart reviews provided demographic information and rheumatic diagnoses. Patients answered questions on CAM use and health status during 1 year. We identified correlates of 4 CAM usage patterns (started, maintained, stopped, nonuse) and compared outcomes among these groups.

Results

Of 232 baseline participants, 203 (87%) and 177 (76%) responded to the 6- and 12-month surveys. In each survey, approximately 34% reported currently using CAM. During the year, 44% of patients remained nonusers whereas 12% started, 22% maintained, and 22% stopped use. The most frequent reasons for stopping CAM were lack of effectiveness and expense. CAM users and nonusers had no difference in outcomes.

Conclusions

Arthritis patients' usage behavior varied substantially, but CAM use was not associated with a difference in outcomes.