Prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients/consumers in the UK: systematic review of surveys
Strong EvidenceIn Plain Language
This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the UK. Five databases were searched for English language, peer-reviewed surveys published between 1 January 2000 and 7 October 2011. In addition, relevant book chapters and files from our own departmental records were searched by hand. Eighty-nine surveys were included, with a total of 97,222 participants. Most studies were of poor methodological quality. Across surveys on CAM in general, the average one-year prevalence of use of CAM was 41.1% and the average lifetime prevalence was 51.8%. In methodologically sound surveys, the equivalent rates were 26.3% and 44%, respectively. In surveys with response rates >70%, average one-year prevalence was nearly threefold lower than in surveys with response rates between 21% and 50%. Herbal medicine was the most popular CAM, followed by homeopathy, aromatherapy, massage and reflexology. Many patients and consumers in the UK use CAM; healthcare professionals should therefore responsibly advise their patients about the use of CAM.
Key Findings: what this systematic review found
- ✓Reflexology was among the five most popular CAM therapies in the UK, following herbal medicine, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and massage.
- ✓The average one-year prevalence of CAM use in the UK was 41.1% across all surveyed populations, but only 26.3% in methodologically sound studies.
- ✓Survey response rates significantly influenced reported CAM prevalence rates, with surveys having response rates above 70% showing nearly threefold lower prevalence than those with response rates between 21-50%.
What This Means for You
Reflexology is one of the less commonly used CAM therapies in the UK, so you should discuss its evidence base and benefits with your healthcare provider before relying on it as a primary treatment.
What This Means for Practitioners
Reflexology remains a minority practice within the broader CAM landscape; positioning it within patients' overall healthcare strategy and encouraging open communication with their conventional doctors is essential.
Study Design: how this systematic review was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
Reflexology is one of the less commonly used CAM therapies in the UK, so you should discuss its evidence base and benefits with your healthcare provider before relying on it as a primary treatment.
What did this study find?
Reflexology was among the five most popular CAM therapies in the UK, following herbal medicine, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and massage. The average one-year prevalence of CAM use in the UK was 41.1% across all surveyed populations, but only 26.3% in methodologically sound studies. Survey response rates significantly influenced reported CAM prevalence rates, with surveys having response rates above 70% showing nearly threefold lower prevalence than those with response rates between 21-50%.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 97,222 participants. It was published in Clinical medicine (London, England). This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
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