Table 3.
Comparison of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Modality Rates Among Lesbian and Heterosexual Women Who Used CAM in the Past 12 Months, ESTHER Project, Pittsburgh, PA, 2003–2006
| Alternative service | Total (N = 372) N (%) | Lesbian (n = 227) n (%) | Heterosexual (n = 145) n (%) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture | 27 (7.3) | 20 (8.8) | 7 (4.9) | 0.159 |
| Aromatherapy | 31 (8.4) | 14 (6.2) | 17 (11.9) | 0.053 |
| Biofeedback | 4 (1.1) | 4 (1.8) | 0 (0) | 0.162 |
| Herbal medicines | 89 (24.1) | 55 (24.2) | 34 (23.8) | 0.921 |
| Homeopathy | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Hypnosis | 13 (3.5) | 9 (4.0) | 4 (2.8) | 0.553 |
| Massage | 264 (71.4) | 168 (74.0) | 96 (67.1) | 0.154 |
| Meditation | 94 (25.4) | 56 (24.2) | 39 (27.3) | 0.513 |
| Reiki | 45 (12.2) | 31 (13.7) | 14 (9.8) | 0.268 |
| Relaxation | 75 (20.3) | 39 (17.2) | 36 (25.2) | 0.063 |
| Therapeutic Touch | 25 (6.8) | 18 (7.9) | 7 (4.9) | 0.258 |
| Yoga | 118 (31.9) | 59 (26.0) | 59 (41.3) | 0.002 |
| Other | 63 (17.0) | 36 (15.9) | 27 (18.9) | 0.451 |
ESTHER, Epidemiologic STudy of HEalth Risk in Women; NA, not applicable.