Table 2.
Estimated frequency and cost of CAM use during the past 12 months in the United States, by modality
| Frequency of use | Number of practitioner visits
or material purchases |
Costs of CAM use, in dollars | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N (in 1000s) | % (SE) | Median | 95% CI | Mean | 95% CI | Median | 95% CI | Mean | 95% CI | |
|
Cancer survivors
(n=2,977) |
||||||||||
| CAM + Vitamins/mineralsa | 15,063 | 78.8 (1) | 6.0 | (5.0, 6.0) | 14.8 | (13.2, 16.4) | 75.0 | (60.0, 84.3) | 444.7 | (354.6, 534.8) |
| Vitamins/minerals a | 14,243 | 74.8 (1.1) | 4.0 | (4.0, 4.0) | 10.7 | (9.2, 12.2) | 40.0 | (30.0, 45.0) | 280.1 | (200.2, 359.9) |
| CAM a | 7,433 | 38.9 (1.2) | 9.1 | (6.7, 11.0) | 16.9 | (14.6, 19.2) | 75.0 | (60.0, 95.1) | 364.5 | (288.9, 440.1) |
| Non-vitamin/mineral natural products | 4,199 | 23.7 (0.9) | 2.6 | (1.0, 3.5) | * | * | 75.2 | (60.0, 90.0) | 284.7 | (176.3, 393.1) |
| Manipulative and body-based therapies | 3,413 | 18.6 (0.9) | 7.0 | (6.0, 9.0) | 11.7 | (9.9, 13.4) | 80.0 | (50.0, 119.8) | 307.1 | (237.1, 377.2) |
| Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation | 1,974 | 10.6 (0.7) | 6.0 | (4.0, 8.0) | 10.2 | (8.3, 12.1) | * | * | 215.6 | (155.1, 276.2) |
| Massage | 1,867 | 10 (0.7) | 5.0 | (3.8, 6.0) | 7.5 | (6.1, 8.8) | 80.0 | (50.0, 120.0) | 260.3 | (186.2, 334.3) |
| Movement and exercise techniques | 346 | 1.8 (0.3) | * | * | 17.3 | (11.9, 22.7) | * | * | * | * |
| Mind-body therapies | 2,194 | 11.9 (0.8) | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90.3 | (53.7, 126.9) |
| Relaxation techniques | 1,086 | 5.9 (0.6) | * | * | 21.4 | (11.8, 31.0) | * | * | * | * |
| Yoga, tai chi, qi gong | 1,573 | 8.3 (0.7) | * | * | 22.3 | (17.7, 26.8) | * | * | 99.2 | (58.2, 140.2) |
| Alternative medical systems | 1,002 | 5.4 (0.5) | 4.1 | (3.0, 6.0) | 8.1 | (6.1, 10.1) | * | * | 219.3 | (149.6, 289) |
| Acupuncture | 375 | 2 (0.3) | 5.0 | (3.5, 7.4) | 7.9 | (5.9, 9.9) | * | * | 356.4 | (250.8, 462) |
| Homeopathy | 541 | 2.9 (0.5) | * | * | 4.9 | (2.5, 7.2) | * | * | * | * |
| Naturopathy | 195 | 1 (0.2) | 2.0 | (2.0, 4.0) | 4.8 | (2.2, 7.4) | * | * | 217.1 | (101.5, 332.7) |
| Energy healing therapy | 168 | 0.9 (0.2) | * | * | 4.7 | (2.7, 6.8) | * | * | * | * |
| Cancer-free
adults (n=30,551) |
||||||||||
| CAM + Vitamins/mineralsa | 140,959 | 67.5 (0.4) | 6.0 | (6.0, 6.0) | 14.9 | (14.3, 15.5) | 72.0 | (68.0, 80.0) | 367.6 | (348.2, 387.1) |
| Vitamins/minerals a | 127,621 | 61.4 (0.4) | 4.0 | (4.0, 4.0) | 11.2 | (10.6, 11.8) | 45.0 | (40.0, 48.0) | 228.9 | (214.3, 243.4) |
| CAMa | 71,339 | 34.2 (0.5) | 8.0 | (7.0, 8.0) | 15.0 | (14.3, 15.7) | 60.0 | (54.0, 60.0) | 316.8 | (294.4, 339.2) |
| Non-vitamin/mineral natural products | 36,371 | 18.5 (0.4) | 3.5 | (3.5, 3.5) | 4.2 | (3.5, 4.9) | 60.0 | (60.0, 60.0) | 266.4 | (238.4, 294.4) |
| Manipulative and body-based therapies | 33,574 | 16.6 (0.3) | 6.0 | (6.0, 6.0) | 11.1 | (10.6, 11.6) | 65.0 | (60.0, 75.0) | 256.4 | (237.9, 274.9) |
| Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation | 18,732 | 9.1 (0.2) | 6.0 | (6.0, 6.0) | 9.8 | (9.2, 10.4) | 60.0 | (45.0, 70.0) | 221.6 | (198.0, 245.2) |
| Craniosacral therapy | 634 | 0.3 (<0.1) | 2.3 | (1.0, 3.5) | 5.5 | (2.6, 8.4) | * | * | 120.7 | (65.1, 176.2) |
| Massage | 18,172 | 8.8 (0.2) | 3.5 | (3.5, 4.0) | 6.6 | (6.2, 7.1) | 60.0 | (50.0, 70.0) | 197.1 | (180.3, 213.8) |
| Movement and exercise techniques | 4,467 | 2.2 (0.1) | 9.0 | (6.0, 11.2) | 15.4 | (13.6, 17.2) | * | * | 179.0 | (134.2, 223.9) |
| Mind-body therapies | 26,074 | 12.8 (0.3) | * | * | 17.5 | (16.4, 18.6) | * | * | 93.1 | (77.4, 108.8) |
| Biofeedback | 669 | 0.3 (<0.1) | * | * | 9.7 | (4.0, 15.4) | * | * | * | * |
| Hypnosis | 541 | 0.3 (<0.1) | 3.0 | (1.0, 4.0) | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Relaxation techniques | 9,557 | 4.7 (0.2) | 5.0 | (3.5, 8.0) | 11.8 | (9.9, 13.6) | * | * | 42.6 | (31.2, 54.0) |
| Yoga, tai chi, qi gong | 20,709 | 10 (0.3) | 10.0 | (10.0, 12.0) | 17.3 | (16.2, 18.5) | * | * | 80.8 | (67.5, 94.1) |
| Alternative medical systems | 8,847 | 4.4 (0.2) | 3.5 | (3.5, 4.0) | 7.1 | (6.3, 7.9) | * | * | 171.2 | (117.0, 225.5) |
| Acupuncture | 3,289 | 1.6 (0.1) | 4.0 | (3.5, 4.0) | 6.9 | (5.9, 7.9) | 77.5 | (60.0, 101.5) | 232.4 | (189.4, 275.4) |
| Ayurveda | 551 | 0.3 (<0.1) | 2.0 | (1.0, 2.0) | 2.2 | (1.6, 2.9) | * | * | 45.0 | (20.5, 69.6) |
| Homeopathy | 4,504 | 2.2 (0.1) | 2.0 | (2.0, 3.0) | 4.7 | (2.9, 6.6) | * | * | 38.7 | (21.4, 56.0) |
| Naturopathy | 1,449 | 0.7 (0.1) | 3.0 | (2.0, 3.5) | 4.2 | (3.3, 5.2) | * | * | 194.9 | (110.9, 278.9) |
| Traditional healers | 951 | 0.5 (<0.1) | 2.0 | (2.0, 3.0) | 4.3 | (3.1, 5.6) | * | * | * | * |
| Energy healing therapy | 1,434 | 0.7 (0.1) | 3.8 | (3.0, 5.0) | 8.3 | (5.9, 10.7) | * | * | * | * |
| Special diets | 6,226 | 3 (0.1) | 2.3 | (2.0, 3.0) | 3.4 | (2.7, 4.0) | * | * | 17.7 | (12.0, 23.3) |
Abbreviations: CAM, complementary and alternative medicine; SE, standard error; CI, confidence interval
*
Indicates a relative standard error of greater than 30% and do not meet the standard of reliability or precision. For cancer survivors, estimates for the following CAM categories were not shown because most estimates did not meet the standard of reliability or precision: craniosacral therapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, Ayurveda, traditional healers, and special diets.
a
“CAM” includes non-vitamin/mineral natural products, manipulative and body-based therapies, mind-body therapies, alternative medical systems, energy healing therapy and special diets.
“Vitamins/minerals” includes multivitamins/multiminerals, and vitamins/minerals.