Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Older Adults: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Determinants of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and characteristics of users are examined using a sample of 848 adults aged 50 and older from the 2000 Health and Retirement Survey. Logistic regression is used to identify the factors associated with the likelihood of using CAM. Nearly 70% of the respondents use at least one CAM modality, with 44% reporting use of curative CAM and 58% reporting use of preventive/curative CAM. Whites, relative to Blacks, were more likely to use curative and less likely to use preventive/curative CAM. Widowed older adults were more likely to use preventive/curative CAM. Number of limitations in activities of daily living was positively associated with use of both types of CAM. Recommendations are made for improving research on alternative health care utilization, for educating CAM users, and for qualitative studies to gain further insight into factors affecting the use of specific CAM modalities.