Diabetics and CAM

Individuals with diabetes are more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) than are those without diabetes, according to a Diabetes Care report. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina analyzed data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. noninstitutionalized civilian population. People with diabetes were 60% more likely to use CAM than were those without the disease, the researchers reported. Among diabetics, an age of 65 years or older and education beyond high school were independently associated with CAM use. Pharmacists can play a vital counseling role here, as more and more patients seek out information on CAM.