Abstract:
Objectives: To determine the frequency of use of different complementary and alternative medicine therapies by patients of knee osteoarthritis in Pakistan Design: Descriptive cross-sectional survey Place & duration of study: Outpatient department, Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from August 2010 to July 2011 Patients & Methods: 300 patients (age: 62±10) of both genders diagnosed with Knee Osteoarthritis based on American College of Rheumatology Criteria underwent non-probability consecutive sampling at Outpatient department, Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Face to face interviews were conducted. Questions were asked about use of different complementary and alternative medicine therapies. The use was then related to age, gender, rural/urban-based living, educational status, ethnicity based on provinces and monthly income in Pakistani rupees. Data was analyzed using SPSS 19. Results: Majority was males (68%), matriculate (48%), with monthly income Rs.10, 000 (75.3%) and hailed from Punjab province (83.3%) and urban-based living (51%). Complementary and alternative medicine therapies were used by 45.3%, more commonly by rural-based population. Majority used multiple therapies for their pain treatment, yet massage was the most frequent (12.7%). Patients adopted these therapies based on self-knowledge and primarily for pain relief and used them on daily basis. Conclusion: The use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies in Pakistani patients with knee Osteoarthritis is common, though their use is less than that of conventional allopathic medicines. Massage is the preferred complementary and alternative medicine therapy but most individuals use multiple therapies and rely principally on self-knowledge. Those reporting use are more likely to be rural-based.
Page(s):
37-0
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: International Journal of Rehabilitation Sciences, Volume: 2, Issue: 2, Year: 2013