Use of complementary medicine products: a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 2019 Australian adults

Harnett, JE; Mcintyre, E; Steel, A; Foley, H; Sibbritt, D; Adams, J

Use of complementary medicine products: a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 2019 Australian adults

Harnett, JE

Mcintyre, E

Steel, A

Foley, H Sibbritt, D

Adams, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMJ Open, 2019, 9 (7)
Issue Date:: 2019-07-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Harnett, JE https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9904-2144	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mcintyre, E https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3970-9979	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Steel, A https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6643-9444	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Foley, H	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sibbritt, D https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3561-9447	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Adams, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9901-5717	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-07-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	BMJ Open, 2019, 9 (7)	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135786
dc.description.abstract	© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Objectives To provide a contemporary description of complementary medicine (CM) product use in Australia. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Online. Participants A nationally representative sample (n=2019) of the Australian adult population. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcomes measures included the use and type of CM products used, and source of recommendation. Secondary measures included disclosure of CM product use to health practitioners, concomitant use of pharmaceuticals and predictors of use. Results Prevalence of CM product use was 50.3%, with the most frequently used being vitamin and mineral supplements (VMSs; 47.8%) and homoeopathic medicines the least used (6.8%). A majority of respondents using CM products were also using pharmaceutical products, and small but significant associations were found between the use of CM products and pharmaceuticals (p<0.05). Small statistically significant associations were found between use of vitamin products and disclosure of use to general practitioners (GPs; Cramer's V=0.13, p=0.004) and hospital doctors (Cramer's V=0.11, p=0.04), and between use of herbal medicines and disclosure to both GPs (Cramer's V=0.11, p=0.02) and hospital doctors (Cramer's V=0.12, p=0.03). Women, those with higher education and those with no private health insurance were more likely to use CM products (p<0.05), while those without chronic conditions were less likely to use CM products (p<0.05) (χ 2 (29)=174.70, p<0.001). Conclusions The number of Australians using CM products has remained relatively stable and substantial for nearly two decades. The majority of CM use relates to VMSs. Given the number of Australians using both CM products and pharmaceutical medicines, it is important to evaluate the potential clinical implications of such practices to ensure safe, effective and coordinated health policy and patient care.	en_US
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT140100195
dc.relation.ispartof	BMJ Open	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024198	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Use of complementary medicine products: a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 2019 Australian adults	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	7	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	9	en_US
utslib.for	1104 Complementary and Alternative Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences	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/Faculty of Health/Public Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Students
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.issue	7	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	9	en_US

Abstract:

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Objectives To provide a contemporary description of complementary medicine (CM) product use in Australia. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Online. Participants A nationally representative sample (n=2019) of the Australian adult population. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcomes measures included the use and type of CM products used, and source of recommendation. Secondary measures included disclosure of CM product use to health practitioners, concomitant use of pharmaceuticals and predictors of use. Results Prevalence of CM product use was 50.3%, with the most frequently used being vitamin and mineral supplements (VMSs; 47.8%) and homoeopathic medicines the least used (6.8%). A majority of respondents using CM products were also using pharmaceutical products, and small but significant associations were found between the use of CM products and pharmaceuticals (p<0.05). Small statistically significant associations were found between use of vitamin products and disclosure of use to general practitioners (GPs; Cramer's V=0.13, p=0.004) and hospital doctors (Cramer's V=0.11, p=0.04), and between use of herbal medicines and disclosure to both GPs (Cramer's V=0.11, p=0.02) and hospital doctors (Cramer's V=0.12, p=0.03). Women, those with higher education and those with no private health insurance were more likely to use CM products (p<0.05), while those without chronic conditions were less likely to use CM products (p<0.05) (χ 2 (29)=174.70, p<0.001). Conclusions The number of Australians using CM products has remained relatively stable and substantial for nearly two decades. The majority of CM use relates to VMSs. Given the number of Australians using both CM products and pharmaceutical medicines, it is important to evaluate the potential clinical implications of such practices to ensure safe, effective and coordinated health policy and patient care.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/135786