Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-2-13
pubmed:abstractText
Although the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has risen in the last decade, information about its use by paediatric patients presenting to an Emergency Department is still sparse. We report here the results of a cross-sectional survey of paediatric patients presenting to an urban, tertiary paediatric Emergency Department between October 2006 and March 2007. In total, 1143 questionnaires (68% of those distributed) were completed and available for analysis. Of these, 58% (n = 665) of all respondents admitted that their child had received some form of CAM therapy, while 25% (n = 291) admitted that their child was receiving CAM for the present illness. In 31% of the respondents (n = 354), CAM had been prescribed by a physician, while 50% (n = 575) used CAM as self-medication. Patients presented to the Emergency Department mostly because of an infection (42% of total; 29% of these used CAM) or a trauma (38% of total; 19% of these used CAM). Parents of CAM-users were significantly older, more often born in Switzerland and had significantly higher school education than those of the non-users. Nearly two-thirds of the administered CAM therapies were not prescribed by a physician, and 50% of the families using CAM did not discuss this with their general practitioner. Parental requirements implied that medical professionals on a paediatric Emergency Department should know the effects and side-effects of CAM therapies and even be able to recommend them. The study population, even trauma patients, frequently used CAM. The use of CAM is characterised by a high rate of self-medication and the exclusion of the physicians from the decision-making process. The parents of paediatric patients frequently demand that CAM be considered as a possible treatment option and wish to have an open discussion with the medical professionals on this topic.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
1432-1076
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
168
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
431-7
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Adolescent, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Attitude of Health Personnel, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Child, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Child, Preschool, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Complementary Therapies, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Cross-Sectional Studies, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Emergency Service, Hospital, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Health Care Surveys, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Infant, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Infant, Newborn, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Parents, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Patient Acceptance of Health Care, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Pediatrics, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Professional-Family Relations, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Questionnaires, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Self Care, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Socioeconomic Factors, pubmed-meshheading:18597113-Switzerland
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients presenting to a Paediatric Emergency Department.
pubmed:affiliation
University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland. tycho.zuzak@kispi.uzh.ch
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't