Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39988756›Full record

ArticleScandinavian journal of primary health care2025

Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Sweden: a cross-sectional survey.

Jenny-Ann Brodin Danell, Kathrin Wode, Miek Jong, Agnete Egilsdatter Kristoffersen, Esther van der Werf, Johanna Hök Nordberg

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
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

6 authors.

Jenny-Ann Brodin DanellDepartment of Sociology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8632-6877
Kathrin WodeDepartment of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-6449-6349
Miek JongThe National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-8523-9632
Agnete Egilsdatter KristoffersenThe National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.ORCID 0000-0003-4642-0310
Esther van der WerfHomeopathy Research Institute, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5330-5735
Johanna Hök NordbergDepartment of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8029-6734

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsThe aim of this study was to describe the prevalence, associations, and reasons for the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Sweden, as well as to further explore possible self-perceived outcomes including adverse effects as well as the sources of information used.

methodsData were collected by a cross-sectional survey, administered by computer assisted telephone interviews, in June 2020 (

results63.6% of respondents reported use of CAM. The most common reasons for use were to improve general well-being and/or to treat long-term illness or its symptoms. Very few used CAM to prevent or treat COVID-19. The most used CAMs were natural remedies and dietary supplements (50%), followed by self-help practices (33.2%) and consultation of CAM providers (13%). Women, those of older age (40+), and living in larger cities were more likely to use CAMs compared to the entire sample. Household income or level of education did not predict CAM use. Few adverse effects were reported. The main sources for information were media and the Internet followed by family and friends.

conclusionsThis study contributes with updated knowledge about Swedish citizens' use of CAM. The results are important to inform health care policy about patterns of CAM use among Swedish citizens.

Indexed as

Complementary TherapiesCOVID-19AdolescentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesSwedenYoung AdultComplementary and alternative medicineCOVID-19dietary supplementsself careself-help techniques

Identifiers

PMID39988756
PMCPMC12377132

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.