In-home Use of Complementary Alternative Medicine by Stroke Patients

Purpose: The study was conducted to ascertain the use of the complementary alternative medicine (CAM) in stroke patients, in order to provide the appropriate CAM information to patients recovering from stoke. Methods: Subjects were 201 stroke patients who were randomly selected from a health care center and a welfare center. Data from a self-administered questionnaire collected from February to April 2009 was analyzed using SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: Subjects averaged 67.4-yr-of-age. Of the 201 subjects, 69.2% had used CAM. CAM use was statistically significant in diagnosis, duration of post stroke, paralysis, and education about CAM. CAM was used in the mid-portion of treatment by 47.3% of the subjects, and 41.7% used it for more than a year. Of those using CAM, 52.7% of the subjects responded that their reason was the belief in the treatment's beneficial effects. Of the subjects 89.2% reported most frequent use of oriental medicine. Conclusions: The majority of stroke patients surveyed frequently and continuously used CAM in their mid-period of treatment expecting positive effects.