Publication Date
Spring 4-22-2013
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Major
Biology: Pre-Med
Primary Subject Area
Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Public Health
Keywords
CAM, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Complementary, Alternative, health care
Disciplines
Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Recommended Citation
de Nijs, Melissa J., "Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The History, Current Prevalence, and Future Projections" (2013). Senior Honors Theses. 353.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/353
Abstract
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used for centuries. Common methods include chiropractic, diet, yoga, and prayer. Though some methods have proven more successful than others, many have insufficient data to support claims of effectiveness.
A survey of medical professionals involving twenty-seven CAM methods was conducted in order to evaluate modern perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine. They were asked their experience with CAM, their personal opinion regarding its effectiveness, and how likely they would be to recommend a CAM treatment to a patient.
It has been hypothesized that more CAM treatments will be utilized in the future. This is most likely due to rising health care costs, greater individual exploration, and more data to support CAM claims.
