Differences between users and non-users of complementary and alternative medicine among people with multiple sclerosis in Denmark: A comparison of descriptive characteristics

Skovgaard, Lasse; Nicolajsen, Peter Halkier; Pedersen, Elisabeth; Kant, Matthias; Fredrikson, Sten; Verhoef, Marja J.; Meyrowitsch, Dan Wolf

doi:10.1177/1403494813481646

Cited by 29 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The results of the present study support previous findings that have indicated a widespread use of CAM among people with MS as well as a high prevalence of non-specific and preventive treatment goals [11,16,17]. Previous CAM studies have indicated a high prevalence of female gender among MS CAM users [11].…”

Section: Comparison With Other Studiessupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Questions on self-assessed state of health and self-assessed QoL consisted of single Likert-scale responses as applied in the Danish National Health Survey [15]. Self-assessed state of health and QoL were divided into 3 categories: low (1-2), medium (3)(4)(5), and high (6-7) as explained in earlier studies about CAM use [10,11,16].…”

Section: Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Non-practitioner-based activities can be initiated after a consultation with a practitioner, but are continued by the person. Identification of activities was based on what is known about the CAM activities that MS patients engage in [10,11,17], and on health-related activities that are normally recommended for MS patients by professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, etc. ), such as regular physical activity, healthy diet, activating the brain, etc.…”

Section: Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several recent studies have indicated a high prevalence of use of non-medical treatments (including self-care activities) among people with MS, not least within the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Other studies have investigated aspects of the MS patient playing an active role in maintaining health and well-being.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Self-Care Activities among People with Multiple Sclerosis in Denmark: Use and User Characteristics

et al. 2017

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Background: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are known to use a wide range of medical and non-medical treatments. This study aims at investigating the use of self-care activities within this patient group. Material and Methods: The study follows a descriptive cross-sectional design based on an online survey among members of the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society's permanent respondent panel. Results: The results of the study indicate that the respondents carry out a wide variety of self-care activities. These activities comprise conventional activities as well as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)-based activities. The self-care activities are mainly kept up for non-specific and preventive purposes, with primarily personal or non-specific issues as the primary source of inspiration. Comparative analyses indicate that respondents with a low level of self-care more often are men, belong to the young age group and have a low level of education, a low level of self-assessed state of health, a low level of self-assessed quality of life (QoL), and an unknown subdiagnosis. Respondents with a high level of self-care are more often women and have a high level of self-assessed QoL. Conclusions: A wide variety of self-care activities are carried out by PwMS, comprising conventional as well as CAM-based activities. The purposes of such activities are manifold, but they are mainly of non-specific and preventive nature. Differences in background characteristics exist between groups of low and high levels of self-care.

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Section: Comparison With Other Studiessupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Self-Care Activities among People with Multiple Sclerosis in Denmark: Use and User Characteristics

et al. 2017

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“…There were no statistically significant differences between people who practiced ACT and those who did not, in terms of disease type, disease duration, EDSS score, age, geographic location and education level. In a study encompassing Scandinavian countries, between 46 and 59% of 3000 MS patients used ACT and that these practices varied greatly (10). The reasoning behind using ACT was reported as the desire to strengthen and protect the body without necessarily having a specific goal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complementary and Alternative Therapy Use in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Gedizlioğlu¹,

Yumurtaş²,

Trakyalı³

et al. 2015

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Objective: In this study, we aimed to document the use of alternative and complementary therapy (ACT) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and the relationship with socio-demographic characteristics and clinical data of the ACT users. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 101 MS patients followed in our outpatient clinic and living in Eagean district, mostly in central İzmir. All of them completed a questionnaire related to the use of ACT. Patients who had used any type of ACT were statistically compared with patients who had never used such a treatment in terms of their socio-demographic and clinical variables. Results: Of the 101 patients reviewed, 65% were women. The majority of the patients had relapsing-remitting MS (90.1%). Sixty eight percent of participants reported never using ACT. Twenty six of the patients had tried an alternative treatment once. Only half of them reported some benefit. However, only six patients were still on this treatment. Conclusion: We conclude that our patients who were mostly living in the central city and had medium to high educational levels, did not have knowledge about ACT. The patients using such therapies mostly did not experience a meaningful benefit. No statistically meaningful difference was found between the alternative treatment users and non-users regarding EDSS scores, MS subtype, disease duration, age, educational level and residential district. Sonuç: Çoğunluğu İzmir şehir merkezinde yaşayan ve eğitim düzeyi iyi olan MS hastalarımızın çoğu ATT hakkında bilgi sahibi değildi. Bu tür tedavileri düzenli uygulayan ve faydasını gören herhangi bir hasta yoktu. Alternatif ve tamamlayıcı tedavileri uygulayan ve uygulamayan hasta grupları

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Use of herbal remedies by multiple sclerosis patients: a nation-wide survey in Italy

et al. 2016

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Though recent progress in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment is remarkable, numerous unmet needs remain to be addressed often inducing patients to look for complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), especially herbal remedies (HR). HR use, scarcely investigated in MS, may cause adverse reactions (AR) and interfere with conventional treatment. We performed a survey aimed at evaluating use and attitudes towards HR and factor associated to HR use. Other CAM use and attitudes have been investigated as well. Multiple-choice questionnaires were distributed to MS out patients attending 14 Italian referral Centers. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify HR use determinants. Present/past HR use for either MS or other diseases was reported in 35.6 % of 2419 cases (95 % CI 36.0-40.0 %). CAM use was reported in 42.5 % of cases. Independent predictors of HR use were represented by higher education, geographic area, dissatisfaction with conventional treatment of diseases other than MS and benefit perception from CAM use. Both HR and CAM use were not always disclosed to the healthcare professional. In conclusion, HR and other CAM appear to be popular among MS patients. The involvement of the healthcare professionals appears to be scarce with potential risk of AR or interference with conventional treatments.

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Differences between users and non-users of complementary and alternative medicine among people with multiple sclerosis in Denmark: A comparison of descriptive characteristics

Abstract: People with MS in Denmark reported use of a large range of CAM treatments. CAM users differed from CAN non-users in relation to socio-economic factors as well as treatment characteristics.

Cited by 29 publications

References 23 publications

Self-Care Activities among People with Multiple Sclerosis in Denmark: Use and User Characteristics

Self-Care Activities among People with Multiple Sclerosis in Denmark: Use and User Characteristics

Complementary and Alternative Therapy Use in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Use of herbal remedies by multiple sclerosis patients: a nation-wide survey in Italy

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