TY - JOUR
T1 - CAM use in recently-returned OEF/OIF/OND US veterans
T2 - Demographic and psychosocial predictors
AU - Park, Crystal L.
AU - Finkelstein-Fox, Lucy
AU - Barnes, David M.
AU - Mazure, Carolyn M.
AU - Hoff, Rani
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Research and Development , Clinical Science Research and Development [ZDA1] and the National Institutes of Health [P50DA033945 and T32MH06299412].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - Objectives Because the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing among veterans, understanding more about the characteristics of veterans who use CAM is increasingly important. Studies reporting on predictors of use almost always discuss CAM in the aggregate, yet each CAM modality represents a unique approach to healthcare, and each may have different correlates as well as different effectiveness. Very little information is available about veterans’ use of each distinct modality, and about psychosocial correlates of various forms of CAM use. Design We analyzed data from wave 1 of the Survey of the Experiences of Returning Veterans (SERV) Study, which included 729 veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New Dawn (OND). Setting Data were collected by telephone interviews. Main measures We examined a range of potentially important correlates of CAM use, including demographics, military experiences, and current mental and physical health. Results Each predictor related to a unique constellation of CAM modalities; not one of the predictors examined was associated with more than half of the 12 modalities. For example, women were more likely to use acupuncture, massage, yoga, meditation and spiritual healing, and age related only to greater use of homeopathy, while deployment injuries related positively to use of chiropractic, nutrition and meditation. Conclusions Results suggest that in order to understand CAM use, CAM modalities should be considered unique and separate practices. This greater understanding should be useful for future health service provision for veterans.
AB - Objectives Because the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing among veterans, understanding more about the characteristics of veterans who use CAM is increasingly important. Studies reporting on predictors of use almost always discuss CAM in the aggregate, yet each CAM modality represents a unique approach to healthcare, and each may have different correlates as well as different effectiveness. Very little information is available about veterans’ use of each distinct modality, and about psychosocial correlates of various forms of CAM use. Design We analyzed data from wave 1 of the Survey of the Experiences of Returning Veterans (SERV) Study, which included 729 veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New Dawn (OND). Setting Data were collected by telephone interviews. Main measures We examined a range of potentially important correlates of CAM use, including demographics, military experiences, and current mental and physical health. Results Each predictor related to a unique constellation of CAM modalities; not one of the predictors examined was associated with more than half of the 12 modalities. For example, women were more likely to use acupuncture, massage, yoga, meditation and spiritual healing, and age related only to greater use of homeopathy, while deployment injuries related positively to use of chiropractic, nutrition and meditation. Conclusions Results suggest that in order to understand CAM use, CAM modalities should be considered unique and separate practices. This greater understanding should be useful for future health service provision for veterans.
KW - Complementary and alternative medicine
KW - Military
KW - Veterans
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84983554755&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84983554755&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ctim.2016.08.004
DO - 10.1016/j.ctim.2016.08.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 27670870
AN - SCOPUS:84983554755
SN - 0965-2299
VL - 28
SP - 50
EP - 56
JO - Complementary Therapies in Medicine
JF - Complementary Therapies in Medicine
ER -