ORCID Profile
0000-0002-2237-6127
Current Organisation
University of Southampton
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Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 03-2021
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-09-2019
Abstract: Background and objectives: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has been associated with preventive health behaviors. However, the role of CAM use in patients’ health behaviors remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the extent to which patients report that CAM use motivates them to make changes to their health behaviors. Materials and Methods: This secondary analysis of 2012 National Health Interview Survey data involved 10,201 CAM users living in the United States who identified up to three CAM therapies most important to their health. Analyses assessed the extent to which participants reported that their CAM use motivated positive health behavior changes, specifically: eating healthier, eating more organic foods, cutting back/stopping drinking alcohol, cutting back/quitting smoking cigarettes, and/or exercising more regularly. Results: Overall, 45.4% of CAM users reported being motivated by CAM to make positive health behavior changes, including exercising more regularly (34.9%), eating healthier (31.4%), eating more organic foods (17.2%), reducing/stopping smoking (16.6% of smokers), or reducing/stopping drinking alcohol (8.7% of drinkers). In idual CAM therapies motivated positive health behavior changes in 22% (massage) to 81% (special diets) of users. People were more likely to report being motivated to change health behaviors if they were: aged 18–64 compared to those aged over 65 years of female gender not in a relationship of Hispanic or Black ethnicity, compared to White reporting at least college education, compared to people with less than high school education without health insurance. Conclusions: A sizeable proportion of respondents were motivated by their CAM use to undertake health behavior changes. CAM practices and practitioners could help improve patients’ health behavior and have potentially significant implications for public health and preventive medicine initiatives this warrants further research attention.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-09-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12906-022-03719-6
Abstract: Complementary medicine therapists such as traditional acupuncturists are a large resource for supporting public health targets to improve health behaviours. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence and patterns of UK acupuncturists’ provision of lifestyle change support, test theory-based hypotheses about facilitators and barriers to supporting lifestyle changes and to explore associated characteristics and attitudes. A mixed methods design in which British Acupuncture Council members (Sept 2019-April 2020) completed an online questionnaire assessing prevalence of lifestyle change support, typical patterns across patients and behaviours, Theory of Planned Behaviour constructs, practitioner characteristics and open-text responses regarding additional behaviours and clinical decisions to introduce lifestyle change. Three hundred fifty-two traditional acupuncturists participated (Mean age = 51.5 years, SD 9.9 81.8% ( n = 288) female). 57.7% ( n = 203) reported offering support for lifestyle change during their most recent consultation. 91.7% ( n = 323) reported supporting lifestyle change ‘always or most of the time’ for patients with chronic conditions and 67.9% ( n = 239) reported this for patients with acute conditions. The pattern of typical support for different health behaviours ranged from 44.6% ( n = 157) for smoking reduction (acute conditions) to 95.2% ( n = 335) for diet support (chronic conditions). A linear regression model found that frequency of support for lifestyle change in acute patients was predicted by acupuncturists’ attitudes to both clinical role and importance of health behaviours, confidence in their ability to provide lifestyle change support and use of fewer behaviour change techniques. The decision to first offer lifestyle change support was guided by perceived patient receptiveness, whether presenting condition/diagnosis were likely to improve with lifestyle change and whether a strong therapeutic relationship was established. Traditional acupuncturists’ reports suggest their work supports key public health targets for promoting healthy behaviours. Less frequent support for alcohol/smoking may reflect user characteristics but may suggest training needs for acupuncturists. Increase could be made for support in acute presentations, however the importance of patient receptiveness, linking advice to condition, and therapeutic alliance should be explored further. There may be important differences between acupuncture practice and mainstream healthcare (e.g. high level of contact, longer visits, holistic approach) which impact mechanisms of action of behaviour change.
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Jonquil Pinto.