Table 2.

Themes from Qualitative Research Describing HIV+ Patients' Reasons for CAM Use

Theme	Description of Thematic Findings	Representative Studies
General physical and psychological health maintenance and benefits	CAM is used as a general method of promoting health or to improve or maintain quality of life	Bates et al., 1996; Carwein & Sabo, 1997; Furler et al., 2003; Gillett et al., 2001; Langewitz et al., 1994; Pawluch et al., 2000
HIV-specific benefits	CAM used to treat nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and nausea, and to alleviate pain related to peripheral neuropathy progression CAM used to augment the effects of conventional HIV treatments	Agnoletto et al., 2003; Anderson et al., 1993; Fairfield et al., 1998; Langewitz et al., 1994; Pawluch et al., 2000; Sparber et al., 2000; Tsao et al., 2005; Woolridge et al., 2005
CAM use to alleviate medication side-effects	CAM used concurrently with conventional HIV medications to prevent or ameliorate side-effects (e.g., gastrointestinal and dermatological problems, fatigue, neuropathy, and lipodystrophy)	Agnoletto et al., 2003; Bates et al., 1996; Foote-Ardah, 2003; Pawluch et al., 2000; Standish et al., 2001
Concerns with conventional HIV treatment	CAM is viewed as safe alternative to conventional HIV medications CAM used as a way of responding to or counteracting the potential long-term adverse effects of HAART CAM is used because it is more congruent with patients' culture or health beliefs	Foote-Ardah, 2003; Gillett et al., 2001; Pawluch et al., 2000; Standish et al., 2001; Suarez et al., 1996
Desire for greater involvement in healthcare	CAM use provides a way of being more actively involved in one's healthcare and treatment decisions	Foote-Ardah, 2003; Gillett et al., 2001; Sparber et al., 2000