Objective. To examine the rates of use and expenditures on alternative ther
apies by adults with osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods. Adults with OA recruited from the community to participate in a ra
ndomized clinical trial recorded alternative and traditional health care us
e on postcard diaries. General and arthritis-specific quality of life was a
ssessed by questionnaires.
Results. More than 47% of participants reported using at least one type of
alternative care during the 20-week intervention period. Among alternative
care consumers, the most commonly used treatments were massage therapy (57%
), chiropractic services (20.7%), and nonprescribed alternative medications
(17.2%). Four percent of subjects reported using only alternative care dur
ing the study period. Expenditures for alternative therapy averaged $1,127
per year, compared with $1,148 for traditional therapies.
Conclusion. Use of and expenditures for alternative care were high among th
is cohort of older adults with CIA. Clinicians may want to inquire about us
e of these therapies before recommending treatments for this condition.