Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to the variety of medical and health care systems and general practices whose consideration has not been considered as part of the popularly used drug. One of the considered approaches to this is prayer and has been found to be very popular within the US population. Although CAM is mostly used to treat problems like pain in the back, flu, joint pains, and anxiety related to depression, the practice is extending to other significant ailments. The other adopted methods include; taking deep breathes, yoga, dieting, and the use of natural products like herbs.
There is a growing use of CAM in people who believe that conventional medicine has not helped them. This points to patient dissatisfaction attached to both modern medication and lack of trust with the health care system. The other main reason for the increase in the consumption of CAM is the need for people to empower themselves and have control over their health. Finally, there is a high possibility of adoption of CAM due to the existing congruence between peoples, beliefs, and values held by patients (Nicdao & Ai, 2014). The increase in consumption of CAM combined with general health has practically improved efficiency in handling a raft of diseases while at the same time reducing the cost of administering health care (Jonas et al. 2013). In the wake of reduced consumption in health insurance among poor populations, it has been found that these populations have resulted in the use of CAM, bringing to five the number of factors contributing to the factors affecting the consumption of this alternative.
Adverse effects are also evident in the use of CAM by poor populations. It has been reported that these populations delay or postpone health guidelines owing to the high cost and use CAM without proper guidance and supervision of healthcare personnel. On top of this, even when the CAM is approved, adults tend to use CAM therapies that are consistent with their beliefs and faith, some of which are not efficient. On the same note, they ignore medications approved by health care professionals based on religious beliefs, and this has proven a challenge in dealing with chronic diseases. An example in hand is the controversy between the use of natural methods of family planning by certain religions against the use of contraceptives. Even contraceptives have been proven not to have a direct effect on health. The population has continued to grow even within poor communities as a result.
References
Jonas, W. B., Eisenberg, D., Hufford, D., & Crawford, C. (2013). The evolution of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the USA over the last 20 years. Complementary Medicine Research, 20(1), 65-72.
Nicdao, E. G., & Ai, A. L. (2014). Religion and the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cardiac patients. Journal of religion and health, 53(3), 864-877.