Table 2.
Women's Reasons for CAM Use by Race/Ethnicity
| All CAM users | Non-Hispanic whites | African-Americans | Mexican-Americans | Chinese-Americans | p value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N (weighted)a | 1595 | 389 | 406 | 383 | 417 | |
| Personal beliefs | ||||||
| Using these types of remedies and treatments is consistent with my beliefs. | 51.1% | 61.2% | 48.2% | 55.4% | 40.6% | <0.001 |
| I wanted a natural approach to treatment. | 54.7% | 62.9% | 58.7% | 52.5% | 45.0% | <0.001 |
| Dissatisfaction with conventional medicine | ||||||
| Couldn't afford conventional medical treatment. | 14.2% | 8.0% | 16.8% | 27.3% | 5.7% | <0.001 |
| Tried a conventional medical treatment and it didn't work. | 23.3% | 24.5% | 26.4% | 25.2% | 17.4% | 0.01 |
| Tried a conventional medical treatment and it had side effects that I didn't like. | 29.6% | 29.0% | 31.7% | 22.3% | 34.5% | 0.002 |
| Social influences | ||||||
| When I was growing up, family members or other people who were close to me used these types of remedies. | 41.0% | 31.4% | 42.4% | 48.3% | 42.4% | <0.001 |
| My doctor recommended it. | 26.3% | 30.6% | 30.5% | 32.6% | 12.2% | <0.001 |
| I read something or heard something on TV or on radio that convinced me to use them. | 29.8% | 31.3% | 42.2% | 28.1% | 17.6% | <0.001 |
a
Only one interview was completed in each sample household even when multiple eligible respondents resided there. Analyses are weighted to account for the probability of selection within households.
*
p value based on chi-square test for comparisons of categorical variables.
CAM, complementary and alternative medicine.