Complementary and Alternative Medicine:
Personal Preference or Low Cost Option?

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:    Frankp@chiro.org

FROM:   LDI Issue Brief 2004 (Feb); 10 (4): 1–4

Pagan JA, Pauly MV

Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics,
University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA, USA

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From acupuncture to yoga, Americans' use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread and growing. The reasons that people give for using CAM are as diverse as the CAM therapies themselves: some perceive that conventional health care is ineffective, while others consider CAM to be more consistent with their own values and beliefs about health. As conventional health care costs rise, it is also possible that some people turn to CAM as a low cost alternative. This Issue Brief summarizes research that evaluates the relationship between CAM use and perceived access to conventional health care.

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