Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Men With Prostate Cancer in 4 Ethnic Populations

Abstract

In the United States, prevalence rates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in the general population have increased in recent years (e.g., from 33.8% in 1990 to 42.1% in 1997).1 Among cancer patients, rates of CAM use are usually higher than among the general population.2–5 Few studies have specifically targeted prostate cancer patients,6–9 and, to our knowledge, no study has examined ethnic differences in CAM use among prostate cancer patients. In the present research, we examined prevalence rates and correlates of CAM use among men from 4 ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian, including Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese) residing in the San Francisco Bay Area.