Attitudes towards and personal use of complementary and alternative medicine amongst clinicians working in audiovestibular disciplines.

OBJECTIVE

Literature indicates that complementary and alternative medicine is used by patients with auditory and vestibular symptoms. This study sought to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine uptake, and examine attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine in clinicians working with audiovestibular disorder patients.

METHOD: The Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire and a devised questionnaire about recent and lifetime use of complementary and alternative medicine were used.

RESULTS

Fifty-four individuals, including audiologists, ENT surgeons, nurses and rehabilitationists, completed the questionnaires (67 per cent response rate). Lifetime prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine uptake was 44 per cent, and 12-month prevalence was 22 per cent. Uptake was more common in females, but there was no significant difference in use when comparing age, seniority or profession. Attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine were mildly adverse, but sizeable standard deviation indicates wide-ranging attitudes.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians working with patients with audiovestibular disorders have a range of attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine. Personal uptake of complementary and alternative medicine was lower than that of the general UK population, but remains sizeable.