  
Alternative medicine use widespread among HIV-infected individuals
Last Updated: 2001-04-20 11:00:28 EDT (Reuters Health)
WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) - Despite significant improvements in antiretroviral medications, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are still widely used by HIV-infected individuals.
In a study reported in the March issue of AIDS Patient Care and STDs, Dr. Joan Duggan from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo and colleagues surveyed 191 HIV-positive outpatients about their use of CAM therapies.
The researchers found that 67% of the subjects had used CAM at some point to control their infection and 40% reported current use. The most common form of CAM was exercise, followed by lifestyle changes, dietary supplements, counseling, herbal medications, megavitamins, and prayer therapy.
Seventy-four percent of subjects were taking a protease inhibitor and 15% were on a protease inhibitor-sparing regimen. Eleven percent did not use any antiretroviral medications, the authors state.
Dr. Duggan's group also noted that less than half of the patients said their physician knew of the CAM use. Another 29% of patients reported receiving CAM information from their doctor or other healthcare professional.
Of those patients who used CAM, 70% felt that it had improved their quality of life, the researchers state. The best predictors of CAM use were earning at least $15,000 per year and discontinuation of antiretroviral medications for any reason. CD4+ cell count, educational status, marital status, and year of HIV diagnosis were not reliable predictors of CAM use.
"Until HIV infection is eradicated in patients, it seems likely that patients will continue to use alternative medicine," the authors point out. "Medical schools in the United States are increasingly involving CAM education as part of both elective and required curriculum in recognition of the continued public interest in alternative therapies and continued patient use of CAM."
AIDS Patient Care STDs 2001;15:159-167.
-Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700
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