Sf. Wainapel et al., USE OF ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES BY REHABILITATION OUTPATIENTS, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 79(8), 1998, pp. 1003-1005
Objective: To document the prevalence and patterns of use of alternati
ve medical therapies as well as their perceived effectiveness by patie
nts in a rehabilitation medicine outpatient practice. Design: Cross-se
ctional survey by written questionnaire. Setting: An urban rehabilitat
ion medicine outpatient referral office. Patients: A random sample of
103 patients referred for rehabilitation outpatient care, while waitin
g for their appointment, were given a questionnaire addressing their u
se of alternative therapies. Main Outcome Measures: Use of alternative
therapies and their perceived effectiveness. Results: One or more alt
ernative medical therapies had been used by 29.1% of subjects in the p
ast 12 months for their presenting problem. The most common therapies
were massage, chiropractic, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and a
cupuncture. Musculoskeletal pain syndromes involving the spine and ext
remities were the most common problems for which patients sought both
physiatric and alternative care. Of the patients who used alternative
treatments 53% reported some degree of efficacy. Conclusions: A signif
icant proportion of rehabilitation medicine patients use and frequentl
y perceive a benefit from alternative therapies, particularly massage,
chiropractic, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and acupuncture. I
ncorporating alternative: therapies into physiatric practice is a desi
rable future direction for the specialty. (C) 1998 by the American Con
gress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation.