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Evidence Base for the Use of Selected Complementary and Alternative Therapies by Patients With Diabetes

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and associated therapies are getting increased attention as growing numbers of Americans are exploring their use. The term “complementary medicine” refers to therapies that are used with or taken in conjunction with allopathic Western medicine. The term “alternative therapies” refers to therapies that are considered nontraditional, non-Western therapies that are used instead of allopathic medicine. The term “integrative medicine” is the more current designation of such non-Western therapies and systems of care. The term is inclusive and provides a more comprehensive consideration of a blending or integration of therapies used in Western and non-Western systems of care. However, the term “CAM” is perhaps the most familiar and is used more commonly throughout the articles in this Diabetes Spectrum From Research to Practice section.

CAM therapies are growing in popularity among both the public and health care professionals. In fact, it has been reported that annual visits to providers of CAM therapies now outnumber visits to primary care physicians.1 The annual National Health Survey in 2007 found that 38.8% of adults and 11.8% of children in the United States reported use of a form of CAM in the previous 12 months.2,3

The frequency of CAM use demands increased familiarity with the …