ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2020
The Utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Saudi Older Adults: A Population-Based Study.
Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- The use of complementary and traditional medicine for the treatment of patients with COVID-19: A systematic review.Explore (New York, N.Y.)Pooled it
- Examining the use of complementary and alternative medicine among older persons in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria: a qualitative study.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Article
- Dietary and non-dietary complementary and alternative medicine use in Saudi Arabia: the differential role of associated factors.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2026Article
- A cross-sectional study on associated factors of Chinese herbal medicine use in middle-aged and older adults with dyslipidaemia.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Navigating complementary and alternative medicine use, medication adherence, and herb-drug interaction risks among gout patients: a multicenter cross-sectional study in indonesia.Journal of complementary & integrative medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- A Comprehensive Look at Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Saudi Arabia: A Meta-Analysis Study.Health science reports · 2025Review
- Identifying the Factors That Drive Health Service Utilization Among Healthy and Non-Healthy Agers in a Sample of Older Ethiopians: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Factors associated with the use of combined nutritional complementary and alternative medicine among southern US older adults: results from the study of aging II.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Article
- Evaluation of clinical characters and use of alternative medicines in the management of headache and predictors of treatment satisfaction among Saudi adults - A community-based study in Saudi Arabia.Preventive medicine reports · 2024Article
- The use of complementary and alternative medicine for functional gastrointestinal disorders among the saudi population.Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society · 2024Article
- Article
- Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Health Care Providers Providing Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Services to Older Adults in Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Article
- Frequency, types, and factors associated with complementary and alternative medicine use among patients on maintenance haemodialysis.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2022Article
- Musculoskeletal symptoms and their associated risk factors among Saudi office workers: a cross-sectional study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundComplementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an integral part of patients' therapeutic experience worldwide. Among Saudi older adults, less is known about CAM utilization.
objectivesTo determine the prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with CAM utilization among SOA.
methodsIn the Saudi National Survey for Elderly Health (SNSEH), subjects were asked about CAM use during the last twelve months before the interview. CAM use was defined as any use of herbal products, acupuncture, bloodletting, cauterization, medical massage, bones manual manipulation, honey, or religious rituals. Demographic characteristics included gender, age, marital status, region, educational level, and residence area. In addition, multiple comorbidities were included as possible factors that may be associated with CAM use. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with CAM utilization. All statistical analyses were done using STATA v.14.
resultsOut of 2946 respondents, 50.4% were males, the mean age was 70.3 ± 8.3 years, and 70% were illiterate. CAM use was prevalent (62.5%). The most common CAM types were herbal products (25.4%), acupuncture (21.2%), bloodletting (12%), honey (9.5%), cauterization (7.4%), medical massage and bones manual manipulation (4%), and traditional bone setting (2.1%). In the multivariable regression, age, gender, and marital status did not have an impact on the odds of using CAM. Subjects from rural areas were 2.92 times more likely to use CAM compared with subjects in urban areas (OR = 2.92; 95%CI: 2.28-3.75). Subjects with metabolic disorders (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.42-0.60) or kidney disease were less likely to use CAM (OR = 0.30; 95%CI: 0.14-0.64). About pain, CAM is used more in neck pain (OR = 1.69; 95%CI: 1.30-2.21) and also used in back pain (OR = 1.22; 95%CI: 1.03-1.46).
conclusionsCAM use was very prevalent among SOA. Clinicians and pharmacists must ask about CAM use among older adults as many of CAM may interact with patients medications.
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Registered trials
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.