Complementary and alternative medicine and health behaviors of adults

Introduction. Diseases are not the only reason for using complementary and alternative medicine. It is also a need to maintain your health and physical well-being at the highest level possible. People with a high sense of responsibility for their own health may choose complementary and alternative medicine to meet the need of an active participation in all that concerns their health.

Aim. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between complementary and alternative medicine usage and health behaviors of adults.

Material and methods. The study was conducted among 97 residents of towns and villages. The age of respondents ranged from 18 to 65 years. The research method was a diagnostic survey and the research tool was a questionnaire of own authorship. Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale was used also. The results were subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis. Statistical calculations were performed using Statistica 10.0.

Results and conclusions. Over 50% of respondents used complementary and alternative medicine and most of the participants were characterized by health behaviors and internal health locus of control. However, the use was not significantly more common among these people. There is a need for extensive research to understand the phenomenon of the use of complementary and alternative medicine and the role it plays in health behaviors of individuals.

Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (2): 214–219