TABLE 1.
—Demographics of Users of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Canada and the United States
| Canada, No. (%) | United States, No. (%) | |
| N | 70 884 (100) | 16 400 (100) |
| Age, y | ||
| 15–19 | 4449 (6) | 1590 (10) |
| 20–44 | 34 053 (48) | 8026 (49) |
| 45–64 | 19 019 (27) | 4339 (27) |
| ≥ 65 | 13 363 (19) | 2445 (15) |
| Male | 32 981 (47) | 7709 (47) |
| White | 65 642 (93) | 13 486 (82) |
| High school or higher | 50 520 (72) | 12 010 (74) |
| Residencea | ||
| East | 3389 (5) | 8903 (54) |
| Central | 40 128 (57) | 3569 (22) |
| West | 27 367 (39) | 3687 (23) |
| Health status | ||
| Excellent | 16 437 (23) | 4951 (30) |
| Very good | 26 988 (38) | 4872 (30) |
| Good | 19 152 (27) | 4117 (25) |
| Fair | 6237 (9) | 1742 (11) |
| Poor | 2070 (3) | 658 (4) |
| Problem with instrumental ADLs | 8282 (12) | 632 (4) |
| Problem with ADLs | 1682 (2) | 316 (2) |
| Service use in past 12 mo | ||
| MD/DO | 56 035 (79) | 10 894 (66) |
| Acupuncturist | 800 (1) | 101 (1) |
| Chiropractor | 9074 (13) | 573 (4) |
| Homeopath/naturopath | 906 (1) | 73 (0.4) |
| Massage therapist | 2290 (3) | 318 (2) |
| Any CAM provider | 11 400 (16) | 862 (5) |
| Only physician (MD or DO) | 48 168 (68) | 10 316 (63) |
| Only CAM provider | 1412 (2) | 133 (1) |
| Both CAM and physician | 9979 (14) | 729 (4) |
Note. ADLs = activities of daily living; CAM = complementary and alternative medicine (acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy/naturopathy, massage therapy); MD = doctor of medicine; DO = doctor of osteopathy.
aEast = Atlantic Canada (including Nunavut) and Northeast and South US census divisions; Central = Quebec and Ontario and Midwest US census division; West = remaining Canadian provinces and territories and Western US census division.