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Table 2 Rates of CAM usage and subjective helpfulness

From: Translation and adaptation of an international questionnaire to measure usage of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM-G)

 

Breast cancer sample (N=72)

Internet sample

 

Frequent users (N=71)

Infrequent users (N=123)

CAM modality

use (N,%)

No of times (valid N, range*)

How helpful?+ valid N; mean (range)

use (N,%)

No of times (valid N, range)

How helpful?+ valid N; mean (range)

use (N,%)

No of times (valid N, range)

How helpful?+ valid N; mean (range)

Visiting health care providers (page 1)

Medical CAM specialist

10 (11%)

7 (1–24)

10; 1.4 (1–3)

19 (31%)

8 (0–9)

19; 1.42 (1–3)

11 (9%)

7 (0–8)

10; 1.1 (1–2)

Non-medical CAM practitioner

6 (7%)

4 (1–14)

4; 1.0 (1)

22 (34%)

13 (0–5)

21; 1.05 (1–2)

14 (12%)

10 (0–5)

13; 1.46 (1–2)

Chirotherapist

4 (4%)

3 (0–4)

4; 1.25 (1–2)

5 (8%)

5 (0–4)

5; 1.0 (1)

6 (5%)

3 (0–4)

6; 1.5 (1–2)

Homeopath

3 (3%)

1 (2)

2; 1.0 (1)

26 (41%)

16 (0–7)

25; 1.24 (1–3)

3 (2%)

3 (1–4)

2; 2.0 (1–3)

Complementary therapies received from physicians (MDs) (page2)

Herbs

21 (23%)

10 (1–14)

15; 1.53 (1–3)

30 (46%)

27 (0–40)

27; 1.33 (1–3)

44 (36%)

41 (0–10)

40; 1.63 (1–3)

Acupuncture

6 (7%)

1 (10)

2; 1.5 (1–2)

10 (15%)

8 (0–10)

8; 1.25 (1–3)

4 (3%)

4 (0–20)

4; 1.25 (1–2)

Homeopathy

5 (5%)

4 (2–14)

6; 1.33 (1–2)

23 (34%)

20 (0–270)

23; 1.39 (1–3)

6 (5%)

6 (0–1)

4; 1.5 (1–2)

Use of herbal medicines and dietary supplements (page 3)

Homeopathic remedies

16 (17%)

14 (10 currently**)

13; 1.23 (1–3)

36 (53%)

33 (12 currently**)

33; 1.33 (1–3)

27 (24%)

26 (11 currently**)

23; 1.3 (1–2)

Herbs/ Herbal medicines

30 (33%)

26 (22 currently**)

19; 1.37 (1–3)

38 (58%)

34 (11 currently**)

35; 1.29 (1–2)

40 (35%)

40 (13 currently**

37; 1.54 (1–3)

Vitamins

37 (40%)

31 (27 currently**)

22; 1.23 (1–2)

34 (50%)

32 (23 currently**)

27; 1.41 (1–3)

46 (38%)

46 (29 currently**)

42; 1.48 (1–3)

Self-help practices (page 4)

Meditation

15 (16%)

12 (daily-not at all)

14; 1.43 (1–2)

16 (25%)

16 (daily-less than once a month)

15; 1.07 (1–2)

13 (11%)

13 (daily, weekly-less than once a month)

12; 1.25 (1–2)

Yoga

8 (9%)

6 (daily-monthly)

7; 1.57 (1–2)

10 (16%)

10 (weekly-not at all)

9; 1.11 (1–2)

18 (16%)

18 (daily-not at all)

18; 1.39 (1–2)

Qigong

4 (4%)

4 (daily -not at all)

4; 1.5 (1–2)

10 (16%)

10 (weekly-not at all)

9; 1.11 (1–2)

18 (16%)

18 (daily-not at all)

18; 1.39 (1–2)

Tai Chi

4 (4%)

4 (daily- not at all)

3; 1.67 (1–3)

1 (2%)

1 (weekly)

1; 1.0 (1)

4 (4%)

4 (weekly)

4; 1.25 (1–2)

Relaxation techniques

18 (20%)

14 (daily-not at all)

15; 1.33 (1–2)

24 (35%)

24 (daily-less than once a month)

21; 1.29 (1–3)

31 (26%)

31 (daily-not at all)

30; 1.53 (1–3)

Visualization

7 (8%)

7 (daily-less than once a month)

7; 1.0 (1)

12 (18%)

12 (daily-less than once a month)

11; 1.18 (1–2)

10 (8%)

10 (daily-less than once a month)

9; 1.33 (1–2)

  1. * please see response options for page 3 and 4 in text.
  2. **Refers to the first remedy provided in questionnaire.
  3. + rating scale ranging from 1 (very helpful) to 3 (not helpful at all), valid N excludes respondents that ticked “I don’t know”.