Prevalence and characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine use by Australian children

Frawley, JE; Anheyer, D; Davidson, S; Jackson, D

Prevalence and characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine use by Australian children

Frawley, JE

Anheyer, D Davidson, S Jackson, D

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2017, 53 (8), pp. 782 - 787
Issue Date:: 2017-08-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Frawley, JE https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6037-0140	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Anheyer, D	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Davidson, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Jackson, D https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5252-5325	en_US
dc.date.available	2017-02-28	en_US
dc.date.issued	2017-08-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2017, 53 (8), pp. 782 - 787	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1034-4810	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/124321
dc.description.abstract	© 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians) Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among Australian children within the previous 12 months. Methods: Parents with children up to the age of 18 years were recruited from online parenting groups. Questions addressed demographic factors, socio-economic status, conventional health service use, including vaccination status and use of CAM. Results: A total of 149 parents responded to the study of which 73.8% (n = 110) had taken their child to visit a CAM practitioner or given their child a CAM product in the previous 12 months. The two most frequently visited CAM practitioners were naturopath/herbalist (30.4%) and chiropractor (18.4%). The most commonly used products were vitamins/minerals (61.7%), and herbal medicine (38.8%). Children had also consulted with a general practitioner (89.8%), community health nurse (31.29%) and paediatrician (30.3%) over the same period. A total of 52% of parents did not disclose their child's use of CAM to their medical provider. Children's vaccination status was less likely to be up-to-date if they visited a CAM practitioner (OR 0.16; CI 0.07, 0.36; P < 0.001) or used a CAM product (OR 0.25; CI 0.09, 0.64; P = 0.004). Conclusion: Despite a lack of high quality research for efficacy and safety, many children are using CAM products and practices in parallel with conventional health services, often without disclosure. This highlights the need to initiate conversations with parents about their child's use of CAM in order to ensure safe, coordinated patient care. The association between vaccine uptake and CAM use requires further investigation.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/jpc.13555	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Pediatrics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Complementary Therapies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Prevalence	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Parents	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services Research	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child Health	en_US
dc.title	Prevalence and characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine use by Australian children	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	8	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	53	en_US
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	8	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	53	en_US

Abstract:

© 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians) Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among Australian children within the previous 12 months. Methods: Parents with children up to the age of 18 years were recruited from online parenting groups. Questions addressed demographic factors, socio-economic status, conventional health service use, including vaccination status and use of CAM. Results: A total of 149 parents responded to the study of which 73.8% (n = 110) had taken their child to visit a CAM practitioner or given their child a CAM product in the previous 12 months. The two most frequently visited CAM practitioners were naturopath/herbalist (30.4%) and chiropractor (18.4%). The most commonly used products were vitamins/minerals (61.7%), and herbal medicine (38.8%). Children had also consulted with a general practitioner (89.8%), community health nurse (31.29%) and paediatrician (30.3%) over the same period. A total of 52% of parents did not disclose their child's use of CAM to their medical provider. Children's vaccination status was less likely to be up-to-date if they visited a CAM practitioner (OR 0.16; CI 0.07, 0.36; P < 0.001) or used a CAM product (OR 0.25; CI 0.09, 0.64; P = 0.004). Conclusion: Despite a lack of high quality research for efficacy and safety, many children are using CAM products and practices in parallel with conventional health services, often without disclosure. This highlights the need to initiate conversations with parents about their child's use of CAM in order to ensure safe, coordinated patient care. The association between vaccine uptake and CAM use requires further investigation.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/124321