Examining CAM use disclosure using the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use

Looking beyond the barriers: Practical and symbolic factors associated with disclosure of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use

“…, Tthe fFew studies have examined factors associated with disclosure as most have focused instead on other than those that can be considered the conceptual opposite of those linked to non-disclosure. For example, several studies have noted that the quality of the relationship with one's conventional care provider and satisfaction with this care promotes disclosure of CAM [7,9,18]. However, no studies to date have investigated if and how the quality of CAM care may be associated with CAM disclosure.…”

“…However, no studies to date have investigated if and how the quality of CAM care may be associated with CAM disclosure. This gap is rather striking especially given that CAM disclosure tends to be higher for provider-based CAM than for self-care CAM [9,18], and that CAM care quality and satisfaction are important determinants of ongoing provider-based CAM use [2,19,20].…”

“…To date there has been only one other study that has used a theoretical framework for understanding CAM disclosure [9]. However, in that study the quality of conventional care rather than the quality of CAM care was examined as a potential predictor of disclosure, and the data analyzed was 12 years old [9].…”

“…However, in that study the quality of conventional care rather than the quality of CAM care was examined as a potential predictor of disclosure, and the data analyzed was 12 years old [9]. Given that research has demonstrated that the reasons for CAM related behaviours can change significantly within a ten year period [25], examining the reasons for disclosure using more recent data is warranted.…”

“…Indeed disclosure of CAM use is critical for coordination of care and minimizing treatment conflicts [4]. However, estimates of CAM use disclosure to physicians vary widely depending on the population, but in general can be low ranging from 12 to 53 percent in oncology patients [5,6], 36 percent in HIV patients [7], and 21 to 71 percent in general medical populations [8,9]. Successful co-ordination of care depends in part upon consumers playing an active role in facilitating communication between their different care providers [10].…”