Objectives: To compare the characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) users and non‐users among Australian women. Design: Cross‐sectional postal questionnaire conducted during 1996, forming the baseline survey of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Participants: Women aged 18–23 years (n = 14 779), 45–50 years (n = 14 099) and 70–75 years (n = 12 939), randomly selected from the Health Insurance Commission database, with over‐sampling of women from rural and remote areas of Australia. Main outcome measures: Consultation with an alternative health practitioner in the 12 months before the survey. Results: Women in the mid‐age cohort were more likely to have consulted an alternative health practitioner in the previous year (28%) than women in the younger cohort (19%) or older cohort (15%). In all age groups, CAM users were more likely than CAM non‐users to reside in non‐urban areas, to report poorer health, have more symptoms and illness, and be higher users of conventional health services. Conclusions: Women in non‐urban Australia are more likely to use CAM but do so in in parallel with conventional health services.

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Alternative medicine consumption is examined as a paradigm case of postmodern consumption. Content analysis of advertisements and analysis of a survey of purchasers of such medicines demonstrate niche markets delineated by life style, an emphasis on symbolic value rather than use value and the use of such medicines as a means of self-assembly – all features predicted by theorists of postmodern society. However, purchasers are predominantly female, and age and gender distinguish different types of products purchased, purchase is not entirely symbolic and many purchases are made to be consumed by others, making it uncertain whether they are used for self-assembly. These results suggest modifications to theories of postmodern consumption are necessary.