Use of complementary treatment by those hospitalised with acute illness
Jeremy Armishaw, Cameron C Grant
Division of General
Paediatrics, Starship Children's Health, Auckland Healthcare Limited,
Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Auckland,
New Zealand
Correspondence to: Dr C Grant, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1, New Zealand. email: cc.grant{at}auckland.ac.nz
Accepted 17 March 1999
AIM
To
determine the frequency of use of complementary treatment and measure
its impact on clinical outcomes in a hospitalised general paediatric population.
METHODSA population
based random sample of children admitted to the general paediatric
service at a metropolitan children's hospital in Auckland, New Zealand
from February to July 1998. Children with asthma, pneumonia,
bronchiolitis, gastroenteritis, or fever were eligible. Data collected
by personal interview with parents and by review of the medical records
of these children.
RESULTS251 of 511 eligible children admitted during the study period were enrolled. Forty
four children (18%) had received complementary treatment during the
hospitalising illness. Most children (77%) had been seen in primary
care before hospitalisation. The proportion that were seen in primary
care and the number of primary care visits before hospitalisation did
not vary with receipt of complementary treatment. The proportion of
children who were prescribed medications before hospitalisation was
significantly greater for those who had received complementary
treatment compared with those who had not (59%
v 39%). There was no significant difference
between users and non-users of complementary treatment in the severity
of the illness at presentation, investigations performed, treatment
administered, or length of inpatient stay.
CONCLUSIONA
substantial proportion of children hospitalised with acute medical
illnesses have received complementary treatment. Alternative health
care is used as an adjunct rather than an alternative to conventional
health care. Receipt of complementary treatment has no significant
effect on clinical outcomes for children hospitalised with common acute
medical illnesses.
Keywords: complementary treatment; acute medical illness; hospitalisation; ethnicity
© 1999 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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