Complementary and alternative medicines versus prescription drugs: perceptions of emergency department patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The perceptions of emergency department (ED) patients towards complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are poorly understood. We assessed these perceptions and compared CAM users with non-users, particularly regarding CAM safety and efficacy. METHODS: This was an analytical, cross sectional survey of ED patients undertaken in a tertiary referral ED. A five point Likert scale evaluated patients' level of agreement with statements relating to CAM and prescription drugs. RESULTS: Of 404 patients who were enrolled (participation rate 97.1%), 275 (68.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 63.2 to 72.5) were CAM users (had taken a CAM within the previous 12 months). There were 178 patie..