Predictive factors of complementary and alternative medicine use for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Korea.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to assess characteristics and predictive factors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Korea.


DESIGN
Prospective, questionnaire based study for patients with IBD in Korea.


SETTING
Six university hospitals and one primary IBD clinic.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Overall characteristics and predictors of CAM use were compared between CAM users and non-users.


RESULTS
During the study period, 366 patients with IBD (ulcerative colitis=228, Crohn's disease=138) completed the full questionnaire; 29.5% (n=108) reported CAM use and 70.5% (n=258) reported no CAM use after diagnosis of IBD. In total, 64.0% were male, the mean patient age was 42.3±15.5 years, and the mean duration of IBD was 5.5±5.8 years. Using logistic regression analysis, university education (p=0.040), higher income levels (p=0.009), and longer duration of IBD (p=0.003) were found to be independent predictors of CAM use. Among CAM users, 65% of CAM was attained within 2 years of IBD diagnosis and only 28.7% discussed CAM use with their physician. Furthermore, 13.9% of CAM users discontinued conventional IBD therapy while using CAM.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall use of CAM in Korea was comparable with those in the West. Physicians should be aware of the high prevalence of CAM use by patients with IBD, especially among those with higher education levels, higher income levels, and longer IBD duration. Furthermore, physicians should ask about CAM use, and help their IBD patients make a more informed choice about CAM use.
['Park|Dong Il|DI|', 'Cha|Jae Myung|JM|', 'Kim|Hyun Soo|HS|', 'Park|Hong Jun|HJ|', 'Shin|Jung Eun|JE|', 'Hong|Sung No|SN|', 'Hong|Sung Soo|SS|', 'Kim|Wan Jung|WJ|']
D000328:Adult D000529:Complementary Therapies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D011446:Prospective Studies D056910:Republic of Korea D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Complementary and alternative medicine Inflammatory bowel disease Crohn's disease Risk factors Ulcerative colitis