Use of complementary medicine among outpatients with dermatologic conditions within Yorkshire and South Wales, United Kingdom.

Abstract

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing throughout the Western world, particularly by patients with chronic disease. In 1999, 20% of the United Kingdom population reported that they had used CAM in the preceding 12 months. We sought to investigate the use of CAM by outpatients with general dermatologic conditions in 3 United Kingdom cities: Leeds (North England), and Cardiff and Swansea (South Wales). Independently constructed, anonymous, self-directed questionnaires were designed and distributed to 400 consecutive outpatients with dermatologic conditions in Leeds and 637 consecutive outpatients with dermatologic conditions in Cardiff and Swansea. In Leeds 302/400 questionnaires were fully completed with 39% patients having used CAM. In South Wales 415/637 questionnaires were fully completed with 34% having used CAM. Of these, 45% of patients in Leeds and 50% of patients in South Wales were using CAM to treat their dermatologic condition. The most popular treatments in Leeds, Cardiff, and Swansea were herbal medicine and homeopathy. These results were obtained from outpatients with dermatologic conditions in the United Kingdom and may not be applicable to other populations. More than one third of outpatients with general dermatologic conditions in two geographically distant regions are using CAM. More than 45% of these patients used CAM to treat their dermatologic condition.