Table 4.
Overview of symptoms/health issues addressed by the use of CAM among people with MS in the Nordic countries.
| Symptom/health issue addressed by use of CAM |
Denmark (n = 967) | Norway (n = 272) | Sweden (n = 288) | Finland (n = 306) | Iceland (n = 139) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | |
| To strengthen the body in general | 629 | (65.0) | 1.44 | (1.15–1.81)+ | 174 | (63.9) | 1.42 | (1.08–1.87)+ | 161 | (55.9) | 1.24 | (0.94–1.64) | 138 | (45.0) | 1 | 77 | (55.3) | 1.23 | (0.87–1.73) | |
| To improve well-being | 510 | (52.7) | 1.35 | (1.05–1.73)+ | 106 | (38.9) | 1 | 151 | (52.4) | 1.35 | (0.99–1.81) | 207 | (67.6) | 1.73 | (1.30–2.31)+ | 100 | (71.9) | 1.84 | (1.31–2.60)+ | |
| Fatigue/lack of energy | 401 | (41.5) | 1.02 | (0.80–1.31) | 139 | (51.1) | 1.26 | (0.94–1.71) | 116 | (40.2) | 1 | 135 | (44.1) | 1.09 | (0.81–1.47) | 91 | (65.4) | 1.62 | (1.15–2.28)+ | |
| To prevent symptoms | 351 | (36.3) | 1.34 | (1.01–1.77)+ | 92 | (33.8) | 1.25 | (0.89–1.76) | 78 | (27.0) | 1 | 104 | (33.9) | 1.25 | (0.89–1.75) | 54 | (38.8) | 1.43 | (0.96–2.14) | |
| Body pain | 210 | (21.7) | 1.14 | (0.83–1.57) | 84 | (30.8) | 1.62 | (1.12–2.36)+ | 72 | (25.0) | 1.31 | (0.90–1.93) | 58 | (18.9) | 1 | 64 | (46.0) | 2.43 | (1.61–3.65)+ | |
| To improve the body's muscle strength |
192 | (19.9) | 1.50 | (1.04–2.18)+ | 50 | (18.3) | 1.39 | (0.89–2.19) | 38 | (13.1) | 1 | 43 | (14.0) | 1.06 | (0.67–1.70) | 55 | (39.5) | 2.99 | (1.89–4.75)+ | |
| Problems with balance | 189 | (19.5) | 1.53 | (1.06–2.21)+ | 50 | (18.3) | 1.44 | (0.92–2.26) | 46 | (15.9) | 1.25 | (0.79–1.98) | 39 | (12.7) | 1 | 42 | (30.2) | 2.37 | (1.46–3.83)+ | |
| To reduce the frequency of attacks | 188 | (19.4) | 5.93 | (3.10–11.36)+ | 33 | (12.1) | 3.71 | (1.79–7.67)+ | 22 | (7.6) | 2.34 | (1.09–5.02)+ | 10 | (3.2) | 1 | 39 | (28.0) | 8.58 | (4.17–17.69)+ | |
| Spasms/tensions/cramps | 176 | (18.2) | 1.08 | (0.77–1.53) | 56 | (20.5) | 1.23 | 0.81–1.88) | 48 | (16.6) | 1 | 69 | (22.5) | 1.35 | (0.91–2.02) | 26 | (18.7) | 1.12 | (0.67–1.88) | |
| Sensing disorders | 138 | (14.3) | 2.56 | (1.50–4.37)+ | 21 | (7.7) | 1.39 | (0.71–2.72) | 16 | (5.5) | 1 | 24 | (7.8) | 1.41 | (0.74–2.71) | 24 | (17.2) | 3.11 | (1.59–6.04)+ | |
| Indigestion/problems with the intestinal system |
136 | (14.1) | 1 | 48 | (17.6) | 1.25 | (0.88–1.79) | 64 | (22.2) | 1.58 | (1.14–2.19)+ | 60 | (19.6) | 1.39 | (1.00–1.93)+ | 36 | (25.8) | 1.84 | (1.23–2.77)+ | |
| Problems with bladder/urination | 119 | (12.3) | 1.29 | (0.84–1.98) | 49 | (18.0) | 1.90 | (1.16–3.09)+ | 32 | (11.1) | 1.17 | (0.69–1.98) | 29 | (9.4) | 1 | 32 | (23.0) | 2.42 | (1.41–4.17)+ | |
| Headache | 115 | (11.9) | 1.45 | (0.92–2.28) | 36 | (13.2) | 1.62 | (0.94–2.76) | 24 | (8.3) | 1.02 | (0.57–1.82) | 25 | (8.1) | 1 | 34 | (24.4) | 2.99 | (1.72–5.21)+ | |
| General discomfort | 113 | (11.7) | 1.12 | (0.73–1.71) | 43 | (15.8) | 1.52 | (0.93–2.49) | 30 | (10.4) | 1 | 45 | (14.7) | 1.41 | (0.87–2.30) | 44 | (31.6) | 3.04 | (1.83–5.04)+ | |
| Problems with walking | 105 | (10.9) | 1.08 | (0.59–1.93) | 28 | (10.2) | 1.02 | (0.52–2.00) | 31 | (10.7) | 1.09 | (0.55–2.07) | 38 | (12.4) | 1.23 | (0.65–2.35) | 14 | (10.0) | 1 | |
| Cognitive problems | 83 | (8.6) | 2.38 | (1.25–4.53)+ | 24 | (8.8) | 2.45 | (1.18–5.10)+ | 21 | (7.2) | 2.03 | (0.96–4.28) | 11 | (3.5) | 1 | 28 | (20.1) | 5.60 | (2.71–11.58)+ | |
| Psychological problems | 82 | (8.5) | 2.59 | (1.33–5.06)+ | 26 | (9.5) | 2.92 | (1.38–6.18)+ | 17 | (5.9) | 1.81 | (0.81–4.01) | 10 | (3.2) | 1 | 27 | (19.4) | 5.94 | (2.80–12.62)+ | |
| Dizziness | 82 | (8.5) | 3.69 | (1.69–8.09)+ | 20 | (7.3) | 3.21 | (1.34–7.72)+ | 11 | (3.8) | 1.67 | (0.64–4.37) | 7 | (2.2) | 1 | 23 | (16.5) | 7.23 | (3.03–17.26)+ | |
| Problems with coordination/shaking | 67 | (6.9) | 1.88 | (0.95–3.70) | 10 | (3.6) | 1 | 16 | (5.5) | 1.51 | (0.67–3.39) | 16 | (5.2) | 1.33 | (0.59–3.02) | 21 | (15.1) | 4.11 | (1.88–8.96)+ | |
| Visual disorders | 49 | (5.1) | 1.32 | (0.68–2.58) | 11 | (4.0) | 1.06 | (0.45–2.48) | 11 | (3.8) | 1 | 13 | (4.2) | 1.11 | (0.49–2.52) | 22 | (15.8) | 4.14 | (1.95–8.78)+ | |
| Paralysis | 26 | (2.7) | 1.64 | (0.62–4.31) | 7 | (2.5) | 1.57 | (0.49–5.02) | 7 | (2.4) | 1.48 | (0.46–4.7) | 5 | (1.6) | 1 | 10 | (7.1) | 4.40 | (1.47–13.12)+ | |
| Problems with speech, chewing, and swallowing | 22 | (2.3) | 1 | 8 | (2.9) | 1.29 | (0.57–2.94) | 10 | (3.4) | 1.53 | (0.72–3.27) | 8 | (2.6) | 1.15 | (0.51–2.61) | 16 | (11.5) | 5.07 | (2.59–9.89)+ | |
| Symptoms/health issues addressed by less than 2% in all countries (cold hands and feet, nails, hair, PMS, itching, menopause, weight, sleep, eczema, allergies, lack of appetite, canker sores, blood sugar instability, pregnancy, detox, oedema, stress, and sexual problems) |
50 | (5.2) | 1.17 | (0.61–2.23) | 12 | (4.4) | 1 | 22 | (7.63) | 1.73 | (0.84–3.56) | 19 | (6.20) | 1.41 | (0.67–2.95) | 9 | (6.4) | 1.46 | (0.60–3.56) | |
| Addressing of one or more nonspecific/preventive symptoms/health issues (including strengthening the body in general, improving well-being, preventing symptoms, improving the body's muscle strength, and reducing the frequency of attacks and general discomfort) | 797 | 82.2 | 1.04 | (0.85–1.26) | 222 | 81.6 | 1.03 | (0.80–1.32) | 228 | 79.2 | 1 | 256 | 83.7 | 1.06 | (0.83–1.34) | 118 | 84.9 | 1.07 | (0.79–1.45) | |
“+”signifies that the prevalence is significantly higher than the lowest prevalence. Significance has been determined by interpretation of the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) (if 1 is contained in the CI, P < 0.05).