ArticleBMC complementary and alternative medicine2016
The utilization of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine for non-communicable diseases and mental disorders in health care patients in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Article in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prevalence of psychological distress among cancer patients in Southeast Asian countries: A systematic review.European journal of cancer care · 2022Pooled it
- Socioeconomic and geographic inequalities in unmet healthcare needs in Cambodia: evidence from a national cross-sectional study.International journal for equity in health · 2026Article
- Factors associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine use among older adults with chronic diseases in China.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Usability, adherence and efficacy of coach-augmented dHealth cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia in South African sexual assault survivors: a pilot study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Frequency of complementary medicine use and attitudes among Iranian patients with chronic diseases.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Modulation of gene expression by traditional Asian antidiabetic nutraceuticals: A review of potential effects.Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition · 2025Review
- Ganodermataceae-current status, research, and development in Lower Mekong Basin.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025Review
- Article
- Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Its Associated Factors among Iranian Diabetic Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.Current therapeutic research, clinical and experimental · 2024Article
- Article
- Prevalence, determinants and outcomes of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use for hypertension among low-income households in Malaysia and the Philippines.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2022Article
- The Use of Non-physician Prescribed Medications in Patients Presenting to Two Emergency Departments in a Low/Middle-income Country.The western journal of emergency medicine · 2022Article
- Easy Access to Biomedicine and Knowledge about Medicinal Plants: A Case Study in a Semiarid Region of Brazil.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2022Article
- Utilization of complementary and traditional medicine practitioners among middle-aged and older adults in India: results of a national survey in 2017-2018.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2021Article
- Overview on development of ASEAN traditional and herbal medicines.Chinese herbal medicines · 2021Review
- Depressive symptoms among clients attending monk healers and primary care clinics in Thailand: a comparative follow-up study.Primary health care research & development · 2021Article
- Mental health in HIV prevention and care: A qualitative study of challenges and facilitators to integration in Vietnam.Social science & medicine (1982) · 2021Article
- Use of and attitudes towards herbal medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Vietnam.European journal of integrative medicine · 2021Article
- Chronic conditions, multimorbidity, and quality of life among patients attending monk healers and primary care clinics in Thailand.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2021Article
- Patterns and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use in people presenting with the non-communicable disease in an urban health facility, North India.Journal of public health research · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) use in patients with chronic diseases in lower Mekong countries.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in a health care setting using a random sample of 4799 adult patients (Mean age: 52.3 years, SD = 22.7) with chronic diseases in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The measure included the International Questionnaire to measure usage of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM).
resultsThe 1 year prevalence of consulting TCAM providers was 26.0%; 27.0% in Cambodia, 26.3% in Thailand, 23.9% in Vietnam. The most commonly consulted TCAM providers were the herbalist (17.3%), massage therapist (6.0%), and acupuncturist (5.5%). For all different types of TCAM providers more than 80% of participants perceived the consultation as very or somewhat helpful. The own use of herbal medicine was 41.0%, own use of vitamins 26.5% and the own use of other supplements 9.7% in the past 12 months. The most common self-help practices in the past 12 months included praying for your own health (30.1%), meditation (13.9%) and relaxation techniques (9.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, older age, rural residence and having two or more chronic conditions was associated with the use a TCAM provider; being female, urban residence, residing in Vietnam and having two or more chronic conditions was associated with the use of TCAM products; and being female, older age, rural residence, higher formal education, and residing in Cambodia was associated with the use of TCAM self-help practices.
conclusionsTCAM use is common among chronic disease patients in lower Mekong countries and is associated with several sociodemographic and disease specific factors.
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