Predictors of College Students’ Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established (P.L. 105-227, 11 Stat. 2681) in 1998 to facilitate and conduct research on alternative medical treatments due to a growing need and interest in these forms of therapy. Although traditional medical procedures are generally regarded as preferred among allopathic doctors (MD), osteopathic doctors (DO), and others who hold degrees in allied health disciplines granted by Western universities, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) consist of therapies outside this convention. Because there is such a variety of nontraditional medical practice and treatment, the NCAAM developed specific definitions for these remedies to distinguish them from traditional medicine. The NCCAM identifies complementary medicine as therapy used with conventional medical treatment, whereas alternative medicine is therapy used in place of conventional medicine. There are five categories of CAM: (1) alternative medical systems (homeopathic and naturopathic medicine); (2) mind-body interventions (meditation, prayer, dance, art and music therapies); (3) biologically based therapies (botanical remedies, foods, and vitamins); (4) manipulative and body-based methods (chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation and massage); and (5) energy therapies (chi gong, reiki, therapeutic touch, and therapies using electromagnetic fields) (see http://altmed.od.nih.gov/health/ whatiscam/). Predictors of College Students’ Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine