Complementary and alternative medicine use in an Australian kidney transplant recipient population

Abstract

The prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in kidney transplant recipients in Australia is unknown. Chronic transplant recipients completed a questionnaire, and participants who did not report CAM use also had medical chart audits. Among 127 participants, CAM use was reported by 26.8%, considerably lower than the general population. These findings may reflect underreporting due to misperception about what constitutes CAM (commonly vitamin use was not reported by the group denying CAM use), or perhaps a motivated population who are receptive to education efforts from the transplant team.