The Utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Combined with Conventional Medicine among Outpatients: A Cross-Sectional Study

病人合併使用輔助與另類療法及西醫之現象：一橫斷性研究

張懷陸(Huai-Lu Chang) ； 張曉雲(Annie Hsiao-Yun Chang)

《南臺灣醫學雜誌》 6卷2期 (2010/12) Pp. 65-75

https://doi.org/10.6726/MJST.201012_6(2).0001

摘要

目的：本研究之目的是調查台灣南部門診病人使用輔助與另類療法之流行率、盛行之療法、使用者之特徵及其使用之決策過程。方法：利用回溯性之橫斷問卷調查來收集門診病人之資料。經由集束選樣法選取521位參與者。問卷主要包括三個部分：1）人口學和臨床資料，2）療法使用之種類，3）療法使用之經驗。結果：參與者中有51.6%（n=269）的人在過去一年中使用過輔助與另類療法，最常見的療法是營養補充品。使用者的年齡較大、已婚、退休、有宗教、每月回診、服較少的藥物及服藥遵從性高。值得注意的是65.3%使用生物基因療法的人，不知道他們實際上實用的內容物為何，而且75.5%的人自行調整其食用西藥及輔助與另類療法的時間，卻未告知其診治醫師。結論：輔助與另類療法之高使用率於門診病人已被本研究證實，但病患與診治醫師之間缺乏討論，可能對病人照護和醫療有潛在負面的影響。所以醫療人員應瞭解那些病人在使用、使用什麼療法以及怎麼使用它，有助於病人之照護安全。

關鍵字

輔助與另類療法 ； 門診 ； 揭露

並列摘要

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, the pattern, the characteristics, and the decision-making process of CAM use among outpatients living in Southern Taiwan.Methods: A retrospective study using a cross-sectional survey was designed to recruit patients who attend any clinic in a general hospital. A sample of 521 study participants was selected by cluster sampling strategy. The questionnaire consists primarily of three sections: 1) demographic characteristics and clinical information, 2) the pattern of CAM use, and 3) the experience of CAM use.Results: Of the 521 participants, 51.6% (n=269) reported using CAM during the prior 12 months. The most popular CAM therapy was nutritional supplements among CAM users. CAM users were older, married, retired, practicing a religion, visits to clinics monthly, taking less medications and higher medication compliance. To be noted, 65.3% CAM users who used biologically based therapies, did not know what kind of ingredients they were actually taking and 75.5% of participants adjusted the timing and dosage of conventional medication by themselves without informing conventional healthcare professionals.Conclusions: The high overall use of CAM among outpatients has been confirmed in this study; however, poor discussion regarding CAM use may indicate a deficiency in patient-health care professional relations, and may impact negatively on patient care and outcomes. Therefore, the awareness of what CAM is used, who is used, and how it is used is important for healthcare professionals to ensuring safe in the management of patients' health care.

並列關鍵字

complementary and alternative medicine ； primary care ； disclosure