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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Sep 18.
Published in final edited form as: Natl Health Stat Report. 2015 Feb 10;(79):1–16.

Table 2.

Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults aged 18 and over, by selected characteristics: United States, 2002, 2007, and 2012

Selected characteristic 2002
2007
2012
Percentage point change
Trend
Number (in thousands) Age-adjusted percent1 (standard error) Number (in thousands) Age-adjusted percent1 (standard error) Number (in thousands) Age-adjusted percent1 (standard error) 2002–2007 2007–2012 2002–2012
Total2 65,169 32.3 (0.37) 77,032 35.5 (0.48) 76,222 33.2 (0.42) 3.2 −2.3 0.9 * Quadratic
 Sex
Men 27,115 27.9 (0.49) 32,884 31.4 (0.61) 31,818 28.9 (0.54) 3.5 −2.5 1.0 ** Quadratic
Women 38,053 36.4 (0.48) 44,148 39.4 (0.61) 44,404 37.4 (0.54) 3.0 −2.0 1.0 * Quadratic
 Age group (years)
18–44 34,842 33.0 (0.48) 36,705 34.2 (0.63) 34,600 32.2 (0.57) 1.2 −2.0 −0.8 * Linear
45–64 23,041 36.5 (0.64) 29,507 40.1 (0.80) 29,048 36.8 (0.63) 3.6 −3.3 0.3 * Quadratic
65 and over. 7,286 22.7 (0.64) 10,820 31.1 (0.92) 11,789 29.4 (0.73) 8.4 −1.5 6.9 * Quadratic
 Hispanic or Latino origin and race
Hispanic 5,626 26.4 (0.80) 6,162 21.6 (0.91) 7,525 22.0 (0.76) −4.8 0.4 −4.4 * Quadratic
Non-Hispanic white 50,219 34.4 (0.44) 59,814 40.2 (0.60) 57,008 37.9 (0.53) 5.8 −2.3 3.5 *** Quadratic
Non-Hispanic black 5,181 22.9 (0.66) 5,688 22.9 (0.90) 4,957 19.3 (0.75) 0.0 −3.6 −3.6 * Linear
Non-Hispanic other3 4,142 41.5 (1.59) 5,368 39.6 (1.66) 5,946 37.3 (1.21) −1.9 −2.3 −4.2 *** Linear
 Education
Less than high school diploma 5,918 18.6 (0.68) 6,440 18.9 (0.85) 4,980 15.6 (0.72) −0.3 −2.0 −3.0 *** Quadratic
High school diploma or GED4 15,777 26.6 (0.53) 17,457 28.1 (0.85) 14,744 24.4 (0.64) −1.5 −3.7 −2.2 *** Quadratic
Some college education 14,244 35.6 (0.75) 23,189 41.3 (0.80) 16,762 36.5 (0.82) 5.7 −4.8 0.9 * Quadratic
College degree or higher 28,953 42.1 (0.67) 29,743 46.7 (0.82) 39,586 42.6 (0.64) 4.6 −4.1 0.5 * Quadratic
 Poverty status5
Poor 4,127 25.1 (0.99) 6,107 26.6 (1.02) 6,315 20.6 (0.76) 1.5 −6.0 −4.5 *** Quadratic
Near-poor 6,961 27.7 (0.79) 8,380 27.9 (0.98) 9,283 25.5 (0.79) 0.2 −2.4 −2.2 *** Linear
Not-poor 41,962 36.8 (0.48) 55,953 40.3 (0.64) 55,490 38.4 (0.53) 3.5 −1.9 1.6 *** Quadratic
 Health insurance6
Private 49,839 34.6 (0.42) 56,900 39.0 (0.59) 54,389 38.0 (0.50) 4.4 −1.0 3.4 * Quadratic
Public 6,402 25.8 (0.92) 9,401 27.0 (1.00) 11,387 24.8 (0.84) 1.2 −2.2 −1.0 ** Quadratic
Uninsured 8,730 28.4 (1.21) 10,382 27.8 (1.66) 9,505 22.9 (1.09) −0.6 −4.9 −5.5 *** Quadratic

Difference between both years is statistically significant at p < 0.05.

0.0 Quantity more than zero but less than 0.05.

*

Significance of the chi-squared statistics is < 0.001.

**

Significance of the chi-squared statistics is < 0.01.

***

Significance of the chi-squared statistics is < 0.05.

1

The denominator used in the calculation of percentages was all sample adults.

2

Total was defined by a “yes” response to use of one or more of the following in the past 12 months: acupuncture; Ayurveda; biofeedback; chelation therapy; chiropractic care; energy healing therapy or Reiki; vegetarian and vegan, macrobiotic, Atkins, Pritikin, and Ornish diets; folk medicine; guided imagery; homeopathic treatment; hypnosis; naturopathy; nonvitamin, nonmineral, dietary supplements; massage; meditation; progressive relaxation; qi gong; tai chi; or yoga. The use of prayer for health reasons, megavitamin supplements, and special diets not listed, was not included. Respondents may have reported using more than one type of approach.

3

Non-Hispanic other and persons of multiple races is a very broad and varied category of persons from a variety of races and ethnicities. This group may be more diverse than the other racial and ethnic groups.

4

GED is General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma.

5

Based on family income and family size using the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds for the previous calendar year. Poor persons had a total annual income below the poverty threshold; near-poor persons had incomes of 100% to less than 200% of the poverty threshold; not-poor persons had incomes that were 200% of the poverty threshold or greater.

6

Based on a hierarchy of mutually exclusive categories. Persons with more than one type of health insurance were assigned to the first appropriate category in the hierarchy. “Uninsured” includes persons who had no coverage and those who had only Indian Health Service coverage or had only a private plan that paid for one type of service such as accidents or dental care.

NOTES: All estimates except age groups were age-adjusted using the projected 2000 U.S. population as the standard population and using four age groups: 18–24, 25–44, 45–64, and 65 and over. Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey, 2002, 2007, and 2012.