Ambulatory Pediatrics
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Pages 104-110, March 2002

Adolescents' Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

  • Karen M. Wilson, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Children's Hospital at Strong, Rochester, NY
    • ,
  • Jonathan D. Klein, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Jonathan D. Klein, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 690, Rochester, NY 14642

Received 26 June 2001; accepted 9 November 2001.

Objective.—To examine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in a random sample of adolescents living in Monroe County, New York.

Methods.—Questions about use of a variety of CAM therapies in the previous 6 months were asked of adolescents during a random-digit-dial telephone survey.

Results.—A total of 54% of the 361 adolescents surveyed had used at least 1 CAM remedy. The most frequently used therapies were massage (13.2%), prayer or faith healing (13.1%), herbs (11.5%), megadose vitamins (10.6%), and special exercises (10.1%). Natural performance enhancers were used by 14.7% of the boys, but less than 1% of the girls (P < .001). Use of health care without parental knowledge, time spent in school clubs, and perceived parental use and friend use of CAM were all associated with CAM use in a logistic regression model.

Conclusion.—More than half of the adolescents in this county use CAM therapies, and a significant number use pharmacologically active substances. Physicians treating adolescents should ask adolescents about CAM use.

KEY WORDS:  adolescence , alternative medicine , health services research

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PII: S1530-1567(05)60091-3

doi:10.1367/1539-4409(2002)002<0104:AUOCAA>2.0.CO;2

Ambulatory Pediatrics
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Pages 104-110, March 2002

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