Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Australia: A National Population-Based Survey

TLDR

CAM use in Australia is rising, with regional differences and a broader array of modalities contributing to higher reported prevalence. The study aimed to assess the prevalence, expenditure, sociodemographic profile of users, and doctor–patient communication regarding 17 popular CAM modalities among Australian adults. A random‑digit telephone survey of 1,067 adults across all states and territories in May–June 2005 collected 12‑month CAM use data. Among respondents, 68.9% used at least one CAM modality and 44.1% saw a practitioner, generating roughly 69 million visits comparable to medical visits, with an estimated $4.13 billion out‑of‑pocket expenditure, less than half of users informed doctors, and users were predominantly young, female, employed, well‑educated, privately insured, and higher‑income, indicating higher national CAM use than previously reported.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the use of and expenditure on 17 of the most popular forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by adult Australians, sociodemographic characteristics of CAM users, and communication between CAM users and their doctors. Methods: In May–June 2005, a sample of 1067 adults, 18 years and older, from all Australian states and territories, was recruited by random-digit telephone dialing and interviewed about their CAM use in the previous 12 months. Results: In the 12-month period, 68.9% (95% CI: 66.1%–71.7%) of those interviewed used at least one of the 17 forms of CAM and 44.1% (95% confidence interval: 41.1%–47.1%) visited a CAM practitioner. The estimated number of visits to CAM practitioners by adult Australians in the 12-month period (69.2 million) was almost identical to the estimated number of visits to medical practitioners (69.3 million). The annual “out of pocket” expenditure on CAM, nationally, was estimated as 4.13 billion Australian dollars (US $3.12 billion). Less than half of the users always informed their medical practitioners about their use of CAM. The most common characteristics of CAM users were: age, 18–34; female; employed; well-educated; private health insurance coverage; and higher-than-average incomes. Conclusions: CAM use nationally in Australia appears to be considerably higher than estimated from previous Australian studies. This may reflect an increasing popularity of CAM; however, regional variations in CAM use and the broader range of CAM included in the current study may contribute to the difference. Most frequently, doctors would not appear to be aware of their patient use of CAM.