Table 2 Perceptions about CAM and prescription drug safety and efficacy .

			Strongly agree		Agree		Neither agree nor disagree		Disagree		Strongly disagree		p
CAM are “drug free”
CAM user			60 (21.8)		68 (24.7)		33 (12.0)		54 (19.6)		60 (21.8)		0.77
CAM non‐user			14 (10.9)		36 (27.9)		35 (27.1)		28 (21.7)		16 (12.4)
CAM are safe to take
CAM user			107 (38.9)		98 (35.6)		51 (18.5)		14 (5.1)		5 (1.8)		<0.001
CAM non‐user			19 (14.7)		47 (36.4)		46 (35.7)		13 (10.1)		4 (3.1)
CAM can prevent people from becoming ill
CAM user*			60 (21.8)		107 (38.9)		45 (16.4)		48 (17.5)		14 (5.1)		<0.01
CAM non‐user			15 (11.6)		38 (29.5)		42 (32.6)		20 (15.5)		14 (10.9)
CAM allow people to be in charge of their own health
CAM user			67 (24.4)		92 (33.5)		51 (18.5)		49 (17.8)		16 (5.8)		<0.001
CAM non‐user			14 (10.9)		39 (30.2)		35 (27.1)		23 (17.8)		18 (14.0)
CAM treat the mind, body, and spirit
CAM user			72 (26.2)		108 (39.3)		48 (17.5)		27 (9.8)		20 (7.3)		<0.001
CAM non‐user			20 (15.5)		38 (29.5)		41 (31.8)		16 (12.4)		14 (10.9)
Prescription drugs are safe to take
CAM user			91 (33.1)		114 (41.5)		25 (9.1)		36 (13.1)		9 (3.3)		<0.001
CAM non‐user			75 (58.1)		35 (27.1)		9 (7.0)		8 (6.2)		2 (1.6)
Prescription drugs treat only physical complaints and ignore the mind and spirit
CAM user			51 (18.5)		100 (36.4)		39 (14.2)		64 (23.3)		21 (7.6)		0.014
CAM non‐user†			6 (4.7)		47 (36.4)		31 (24.0)		39 (30.2)		5 (3.9)
CAM are more effective than prescription drugs
CAM user			36 (13.1)		38 (13.8)		94 (34.2)		57 (20.7)		50 (18.2)		<0.001
CAM non‐user			4 (3.1)		7 (5.4)		33 (25.6)		33 (25.6)		52 (40.3)
CAM are always safe to take with prescription drugs
CAM user			30 (10.9)		57 (20.7)		44 (16.0)		79 (28.7)		65 (23.6)		0.39
CAM non‐user†			7 (5.4)		21 (16.3)		37 (28.7)		29 (22.5)		34 (26.4)

CAM user n = 275, CAM non‐user n = 129. *n = 274; †n = 128.