Unconventional medicine in the United States: prevalence, costs, and patterns of use

Article Abstract:

One in three people surveyed reported using at least one form of unconventional medicine in 1990. Unconventional medicine refers to practices not generally taught in medical schools or available in hospitals and include such therapies as chiropractic, massage and acupuncture. A telephone survey of 1,539 adults found that overall 34% used at least one unconventional therapy in 1990 and that non-blacks aged 25 to 49 years with relatively more education and higher incomes were the most likely to pursue such treatments. Most used unconventional therapy to treat chronic problems such as back pain and headaches. Of those who used unconventional therapy for a more serious problem, 83% also went to a medical doctor for the same condition. However, only 72% told their doctors that they had also tried unconventional therapy. If these findings are extrapolated to the entire US population, more people visit providers of unconventional therapy than visit primary care physicians and about the same amount of money is spent on unconventional therapies as on hospitalizations.

Alternative medicine

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Cognitive behavioral techniques for hypertension: are they effective?

Article Abstract:

Cognitive techniques for controlling high blood pressure are more effective than no therapy at all but less effective than traditional drug therapy. Cognitive therapies practiced without other lifestyle modifications are also less effective than drug therapy. A review and analysis of 26 studies assessed the use of cognitive behavioral techniques to lower blood pressure. In studies that compared patients who received instruction in relaxation techniques with those who received no instruction, the reduction in blood pressure was greatest when blood pressure measurements were taken on one day. Blood pressure reduction was smaller when patients who used cognitive strategies were compared with those who were treated with a faked form of behavioral intervention and blood pressure measurements were monitored for more than one day. Methodological flaws in the majority of studies make it difficult to rule out other variables that may affect the efficacy of the treatment.

Care and treatment, Evaluation, Hypertension, Cognitive therapy, Meta-analysis

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Important elements of outpatient care: a comparison of patients' and physicians' opinions

Article Abstract:

Patients may be much more concerned about receiving health information from physicians than physicians are. Researchers surveyed 74 physicians specializing in internal medicine and 814 patients under the care of these doctors. Both patients and physicians believed that the physician's clinical skill was the most important ingredient in health care. Patients placed much more importance on physicians' ability to clearly communicate health-related information than did physicians. Medical education and training that puts more emphasis on teaching doctors to communicate clearly to their patients may improve American health care.

Physicians, Medical professions, Beliefs, opinions and attitudes, Patients, Ambulatory medical care, Ambulatory care utilization

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