Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is not a passing fad and will be around for the foreseeable future, said Harvard Medical School researchers in a study published in the August 21 Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study used data compiled from more than 2000 interviews and examined trends in the use of 20 different types of CAM from acupuncture to yoga.
The use of alternative treatments was independent of gender, ethnicity, and education level. Regional trends and urban vs rural differences were also absent. The researchers said most of the 20 therapies have steadily increased in popularity since the 1960s, with the largest overall growth rate occurring in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The researchers noted the timing of societal adoption of particular therapies. In the 1960s, commercial diet programs, lifestyle diet therapy, megavitamin therapy, and self-help groups increased markedly. The 1970s saw growth in biofeedback, energy . . . [Full Text of this Article]
