Table 4 Considerations, decision, and information about CAM use
From: Use of complementary and alternative medicine by older adults – a cross-sectional survey
Total | Self-reliant | Home care service users | Nursing home residents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Without legal guardian | With legal guardian | Total | Without legal guardian | With legal guardian | |||
% (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | |
Participants’ assessment of side effects of CAM preparations | ||||||||
Cannot assess | 57.9 (187) | 54.2 (71) | 48.2 (40) | 48.2 (40) | n/a | 69.7 (76) | 69.7 (76) | n/a |
No harm | 23.5 (76) | 15.3 (20) | 36.1 (30) | 36.1 (30) | n/a | 23.9 (26) | 23.9 (26) | n/a |
Mild side effects | 13.6 (44) | 24.4 (32) | 10.8 (9) | 10.8 (9) | n/a | 2.8 (3) | 2.8 (3) | n/a |
Harmful in combination with other drugs | 5.0 (16) | 6.1 (8) | 4.8 (4) | 4.8 (4) | n/a | 3.7 (4) | 3.7 (4) | n/a |
General treatment preference | ||||||||
CAM and conventional medicine | 64.9 (209) | 73.9 (96) | 59.3 (51) | 59.3 (51) | n/a | 58.5 (62) | 58.5 (62) | n/a |
Only conventional medicine | 18.9 (61) | 19.2 (25) | 15.1 (13) | 15.1 (13) | n/a | 21.7 (23) | 21.7 (23) | n/a |
Only CAM | 16.2 (52) | 6.9 (9) | 25.6 (22) | 25.6 (22) | n/a | 19.8 (21) | 19.8 (21) | n/a |
CAM preparation use is based on | ||||||||
Recommendation - total | 31.3 (125) | 30.5 (47) | 43.3 (42) | 46.2 (42) | 0 (0) | 24.2 (36) | 32.7 (36) | 0 (0) |
- by pharmacist | 10.4 (36) | 9.3 (14) | n/a | 12.4 (36) | n/a | n/a | 10.4 (11) | n/a |
- by friends and family | 20.0 (69) | 14.7 (22) | n/a | 25.8 (23) | n/a | n/a | 22.6 (24) | n/a |
Own initiative | 27.3 (109) | 26.6 (41) | 44.3 (43) | 45.1 (41) | 33.3 (2) | 16.8 (25) | 22.7 (25) | 0 (0) |
Prescription | 25.8 (103) | 20.1 (31) | 25.8 (25) | 27.5 (25) | 0 (0) | 47 (31.5) | 19.1 (21) | 66.7 (26) |
GP information about CAM preparation use | ||||||||
Participant informed GPa | 58.7 (138) | 62.3 (48) | 49.3 (34) | 48.5 (33) | 50.0 (1) | 62.9 (56) | 45.9 (28) | 100.0 (28) |
GP inquired about use | 16.6 (53) | 21.1 (27) | 19.5 (16) | 19.5 (16) | n/ab | 9.2 (10) | 9.2 (10) | n/ab |