TREATMENT OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-POSITIVE PATIENTS WITH COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE - A SURVEY OF PRACTITIONERS

Objective: To investigate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices provided to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected ind ividuals, provider experience in HIV disease, patients' characteristic s, provider perceptions of treatment effectiveness, and feasibility an d interest in future studies. Design: Mailed survey. Participants: 117 providers, recruited from professional associations and conferences, who offer CAM therapies to HIV-infected individuals. Outcome measures: Provider credentials, patient descriptors, treatments prescribed and their perceived effectiveness, health service information, medical inf ormation charted, and research participation capability and interest. Results: Providers are treating patients at all stages of HIV disease with a variety of CAM practices, claiming a mean of 6.5 years of HIV d isease treatment experience and 105 HIV-positive patients in treatment per provider (solo practice or clinic). Eighty percent of respondents report holding state licenses to practice. A total of 115 different C AM therapies with an average of 12 treatments per provider were used. Ninety percent of providers claimed their therapies were ''somewhat'' to ''very effective'' on all disease stages, indicating effectiveness for symptom management (96%), quality of life (98%), raising or mainta ining CD4(+) lymphocyte levels (66%), slowing progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (69%), and extending survival (73%). Research readiness and willingness was reported by a majority of respo ndents. Conclusions: Providers with substantial experience treating HI V disease with a range of CAM practices claim effectiveness for their methods. Providers are generally willing to participate in studies tha t would examine such claims and appear to have the capacity meaningful ly to contribute. These claims should be investigated.