Complementary and alternative medicine use by patients with inflammatory bowel disease: An Internet survey

OBJECTIVES: To determine the degree and determinants of the use of compleme ntary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients with inflammatory bowel di sease (IBD) with the use of the Internet and to compare the results with th ose found by using a similar survey in patients attending gastroenterology clinics in Calgary, Alberta. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 263 patients with IBD wit h the use of a World Wide Web-based, structured questionnaire was conducted . RESULTS: Complementary therapies had been used by 46% of patients in the pr evious two years. Current use was reported by 34%. Vitamins, herbal product s and natural health practices were the most commonly reported therapies. S ide effects and lack of effectiveness of standard therapies were the most c ommonly cited reasons for seeking complementary medicine. However, despite this, respondents who had previously received surgery, or intravenous or or al steroids were less likely to be current CAM users. Important differences between the determinants of and reasons for CAM use in the present study a nd those of a similar study of IBD patients in a local tertiary care settin g were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Complementary medicine use is common in patients with IBD. Dif ferences in the determinants of and reasons for CAM use noted between the p resent Internet sample and a gastroenterology clinic sample suggest that co nclusions from the present study and from previous studies based only on cl inic samples provide a limited view of CAM use by people with IBD. More com prehensive assessments are needed.