Use of unconventional medicine in children in Italy

Menniti‐Ippolito, Francesca; Forcella, E; Bologna, Emanuela; Gargiulo, Lidia; Traversa, Giuseppe; Raschetti, Roberto

doi:10.1007/s00431-002-1085-7

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Moreover, the main sociodemographic differences between CAM users and nonusers had to be accounted for. In this regard the data confirm previous studies revealing that being female and middle-aged and having a high education are predictors for the use of CAM; [14][15][16] during preparation of this manuscript, an independent analysis of the SHS-2007 data was published, with similar conclusions on these predictors. 17 The fact of having some diseases-namely migraine, arthritis, allergies, and depression-increased the probability of using CAM.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Approximately one fourth of all survey participants answered that they had used at least once any of the mentioned CAM therapies during the last 12 months (3333 of 14 ], a group referred to as ''unknowns''). Because of their demographic characteristics (see below), it is likely that at least a considerable portion did not answer these questions because they did not understand them; this might suggest that they did not know of the existence of CAM therapies and therefore did not use any of them.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Self-Reported Health Characteristics and Medication Consumption by CAM Users and Nonusers: A Swiss Cross-Sectional Survey

Simões-Wüst¹,

Rist²,

Dettling

2014

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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Objectives: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is very popular in Switzerland. The objective of this work was to find out whether the use of CAM therapies is associated with distinct health characteristics and altered consumption of conventional medications. Design and participants: Self-reported data from the 2007 Swiss Health Survey were analyzed. Two groups of participants were defined and compared with each other: CAM users (those who had used CAM during the last 12 months, n = 3333) and nonusers (those who stated they had not used CAM during the last 12 months, n = 9821). Outcome measures: Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the predictors of CAM use and to address relevance and magnitude of the differences in medication consumption between CAM users and nonusers. Results: Comparatively lower body-mass index (BMI) values and migraine, arthritis, allergies, and depression were associated with increased probability of CAM use. Multivariate logistic regression models that adjusted for the effects of relevant demographic factors, BMI, and perceived health status showed that CAM users consumed fewer medications for cardiovascular diseases-high blood pressure and high cholesterol (and, by trend, heart problems and diabetes)-than nonusers. On the other hand, their consumption of analgesics and medications for depression and for constipation (and, by trend, sedatives and soporifics), was higher than that of nonusers. Conclusions: Migraine, arthritis, depression, and constipation might lead patients to use CAM therapies and, in addition, to consume more of some conventional medications. Given the long intake period and considerable adverse effects of medications, the lower consumption of these agents for chronic cardiovascular problems by CAM users might be beneficial and deserves further investigations.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Reported Health Characteristics and Medication Consumption by CAM Users and Nonusers: A Swiss Cross-Sectional Survey

Simões-Wüst¹,

Rist²,

Dettling

2014

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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“…Despite the worldwide popularity of T&CM, there is little evidence to support its use based on satisfactory clinical trials that evaluate safety and efficacy (8,26). As previously noted, there have been only a few studies on the use of nonchemical agents in children (4,8,27).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Comparison of Zataria multiflora Extract Syrup and Diphenhydramine in the Treatment of Common Cold-Induced Cough in Children: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Clinical Trial

Hosseini¹,

Hossein²,

Amanati³

et al. 2016

Arch Pediatr Infect Dis

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Background: Management of cold-associated cough is a challenging aspect of supportive care for the common cold for pediatricians and parents worldwide. Herbal compounds have traditionally been used for the treatment of cold-related cough. Among these compounds, Zataria multiflora (ZM) has been found to be effective for cough relief. Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare a thyme mixture with diphenhydramine in the treatment of cold-related cough in a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial. Patients and Methods: A total of 52 pediatric patients (2 -12 years old) with common colds were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two treatment groups: one group received diphenhydramine compound and the other received ZM syrup, each for five days. The severity of cold-related symptoms and the efficacy of each drug were determined seven days later by asking the parents to complete a prepared questionnaire. sedation, sleepiness, a four-point scale of cough status, and a two-point scale of consumption convenience were also evaluated in these questionnaires. Results: Our results showed that sedation and sleepiness occurred in 30.8% and 19.2% of the patients in the diphenhydramine and ZM groups, respectively (P = 0.54). Also, 65.4% and 84.6% of the patients in the diphenhydramine and ZM groups, respectively, reported convenient usage (P = 0.10). The patients who received ZM syrup had significantly better outcomes (P = 0.036). Conclusions: Herbal compounds, such as ZM mixtures, are acceptably efficacious in cough relief with fewer adverse effects than chemical compounds in the treatment of cold-related cough, especially in infants and younger children.

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“…A review in 1999, based on 10 surveys, concluded that childhood use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is variable but high [1] and is supported by subsequent studies identifying prevalence rates ranging from 9% [2] to 53% [3]. Differences in patient characteristics (age, type of disease, disease duration), different definition of CAM (visits to practitioner or self treatment) and especially different study populations like hospital clinics [3,4] or general population [2] account for the variability observed between studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why Do Parents Take Their Children to Homeopaths? – An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Steinsbekk

Bentzen²,

Brien³

2006

Complement Med Res

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Background: There has been a threefold increase in the proportion of children among patients visiting homeopaths in Norway from 1985 to 1998. As no study has investigated the reasons for this increase, the aim of the present study was to explore why parents take their children to homeopaths. Participants and Methods: In this qualitative study, parents who had taken their child to a homeopath for the first time during the last 3 months were interviewed in depth using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis based on techniques from grounded theory. Results: 9 parents were interviewed. Parents consulted a medical doctor to clarify how serious their child’s health condition was, and sought treatment from a homeopath if the symptoms were not dangerous. Personal recommendations or personal experience of homeopathy were identified as being a main factor that triggered seeking treatment specifically from a homeopath. The reasons they sought an alternative, or rather complement, to conventional medical treatment were: they did not wish to give their child allopathic medication; they wanted to find an alternative treatment to their child’s currently prescribed allopathic medication; they had ceased conventional medication due to its side effects; to obtain treatment whilst waiting for a problem to be assessed; or they were not offered any treatment by their medical doctor. Conclusion: Parents took their child to a homeopath due to experiences with the medical encounter or treatment and due to recommendations or own personal experience.

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Use of unconventional medicine in children in Italy

Cited by 19 publications

References 2 publications

Self-Reported Health Characteristics and Medication Consumption by CAM Users and Nonusers: A Swiss Cross-Sectional Survey

Self-Reported Health Characteristics and Medication Consumption by CAM Users and Nonusers: A Swiss Cross-Sectional Survey

Comparison of Zataria multiflora Extract Syrup and Diphenhydramine in the Treatment of Common Cold-Induced Cough in Children: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Clinical Trial

Why Do Parents Take Their Children to Homeopaths? – An Exploratory Qualitative Study

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