目標:瞭解台灣民眾在過去一年內使用輔助與替代醫療(complementary and alternative medicine, CAM)之現況、健康資訊來源、使用原因及使用CAM與人口特徵、健康狀態的相關性。方法:研究對象為18歲以上台灣地區民眾,採用分層隨機抽樣,並且使用中選機率與人數等比例(probability proportional to size. PPS)方式抽樣,並以電腦輔助電話訪問系統(Computer Assisted Telephone Interview, CATI)進行問卷調查,有效樣本數為2,266位。結果:台灣民眾在過去一年內使用CAM用以促進健康或治療疾病的使用率為37.6%。使用CAM的樣式以中藥最多,並以用來治療腰酸背痛、肩頸僵硬/痠痛之肌肉骨骼系統與結締組織問題居多。CAM之健康資訊來源以親朋好友最多,而主要的使用原因是民眾認為西醫常有副作用或誤診。CAM的使用率以女性、青年及中壯年人(20-59歲)、高教育程、具醫療相關教育背景、有工作、高收入、居住高度都市化程度地區及健康狀態較差者居多。結論:台灣民眾使用CAM以促進健康或治療疾病的經驗相當多元,建議政府衛生主管機構應將CAM的相關議題納入健康政策,學校及醫療院所亦須將CAM納入必要之教育訓練,進而加強CAM之實證研究,以確保障國人使用CAM之有效性與安全性。
Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), sources of health information, and reasons for using CAM among people in Taiwan in the previous year. The relationships between CAM use, demographic characteristics, and health status were examined. Methods: The participants in this study were people 18 years old or older in Taiwan. Stratified random sampling and probability proportional to size methods were employed for sampling. The Computer Assisted Telephone Interview system was used to conduct a questionnaire-based survey with a total of 2,266 valid samples. Results: The rate of CAM use for health promotion or treatment of diseases during 2011 was 37.6%. Taking Chinese herbal medicine was the most common type of CAM use and people typically utilized CAM to manage musculoskeletal and connective tissue conditions such as waist or back pain or stiff or painful neck and shoulders. Relatives and friends were the primary sources of health information for CAM use, and the primary reasons for using CAM were the beliefs that conventional medical treatments were based on misdiagnoses or often had side effects. Women, adults between 20 and 59 years of age, people with a high level of education, those with a medicine-related educational background, and those who were employed, had a high income level, lived in highly-urbanized areas, or had poor health were more likely to use CAM. Conclusions: When using CAM for health promotion or treatment of disease, people in Taiwan cited diverse experiences. We recommend that health authorities and agencies incorporate CAM-related issues as part of health policy, and schools and healthcare institutions consider CAM as required education and training. Moreover, empirical studies on CAM should be emphasized in order to ensure the effectiveness and safety of CAM use in Taiwan.