Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27289517›Full record

SynthesisBMC complementary and alternative medicine2016

Complementary medicine use by the Australian population: a critical mixed studies systematic review of utilisation, perceptions and factors associated with use.

Rebecca Reid, Amie Steel, Jon Wardle, Andrea Trubody, Jon Adams

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis 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 86 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
86citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

86 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  15. Factors Associated with the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Rural Northern Victoria, Australia.Health care analysis : HCA : journal of health philosophy and policy · 2025
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26 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Rebecca ReidEndeavour College of Natural Health, 269 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley, QLD, 4006, Australia.
Amie SteelAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology, Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. Amie.Steel@uts.edu.au.
Jon WardleAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology, Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
Andrea TrubodyEndeavour College of Natural Health, 269 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley, QLD, 4006, Australia.
Jon AdamsAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology, Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is increasing evidence that complementary medicine (CM) services are being used by a substantial proportion of the Australian population and this topic has attracted keen interest from primary health care providers and policy makers. This article outlines the first summative critical review of the predictors of CM use in Australia as well as the characteristics and perceptions of Australian CM users over the last 14 years.

methodsA literature search was conducted to ascertain original research from 2000 to 2014 in the AMED; CINAHL; and PubMed databases. Selected articles were subject to a critical appraisal analysis to identify the quality of the article. The search was confined to peer reviewed original articles published in English which identified the nature of CM services use in Australia.

resultsThe findings indicate a correlation between CM users and gender, with reports of a higher rate of use from females compared to males. Female CM users are more likely to be middle-aged with a higher education and higher annual income in comparison to female non-CM users. An association between resident location and use of CM disciplines was also identified with reports of rural residents utilising manual therapies more frequently compared to urban residents. CM users are more likely to seek CM services for a range of chronic conditions including diseases identified as National Health Priority Areas by the Australian Government.

conclusionsThis article provides the first comprehensive review examining the nature of CM use in Australia. The review findings offer important insights into the characteristics and features of CM use in Australia and provide insights for national and regional primary health care initiatives and of interest to medical doctors, allied health professionals, CM practitioners, researchers and policy makers.

Indexed as

AustraliaComplementary TherapiesHumansPerceptionChronic diseaseComplementary medicineHealth services useSociodemographicsSociological factors

Identifiers

PMID27289517
PMCPMC4902999

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.