Older adults are frequent users of complementary and alternative medicine, which includes vitamin and herbal supplements, chiropractic manipulation, meditation, acupuncture, and massage. According to a survey by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in four U.S. adults used some form of complementary and alternative medicine in 2007.

Older adults are frequent users of complementary and alternative medicine, which includes vitamin and herbal supplements, chiropractic manipulation, meditation, acupuncture, and massage. According to a survey by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in four U.S. adults used some form of complementary and alternative medicine in 2007 .

More specifically, 41% of adults in the United States aged 60 to 69 sought unconventional medicine techniques. Back pain was the leading reason for using complementary and alternative medicine, followed by neck and joint pain, including arthritis. Female gender and higher levels of education were associated with increased likelihood of turning to complementary and alternative medicine options. Interestingly, 12% of children under the age of 18 also used some form of complementary and alternative medicine. The most common category of unconventional medicine used was natural products, such as herbal medicines or dietary supplements.

Source

NIH News, National Institutes of Health press release, December 12, 2008.