Health-related self-perceptions over time and provider-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use in people with inflammatory bowel disease or arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively investigate how health-related self-perceptions are associated with use of provider-based CAM in two chronic inflammatory diseases, arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective online survey was administered to convenience samples of individuals with arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, and a follow-up survey completed 6 months later. Participants were recruited via online ads, through national organizations, and support groups.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surveys included measures of demographics, use of provider-delivered CAM, disease-related factors, self-perceptions of having a healthy lifestyle and being able to handle stress, and trait resilience.

RESULTS: 325 people (170 with arthritis and 155 with IBD) completed the initial and follow-up surveys. Rates of CAM use were 43.2% and 45.9% for the arthritis and IBD groups, respectively. T-tests revealed significant differences on healthy lifestyle self-perceptions and trait resilience for both illness groups. Differences in self-perceptions about handling stress were only significant in the IBD group. Multivariate logistic regression controlling for demographics and health-related variables revealed that seeing oneself as having a healthy lifestyle predicted CAM use in both illness groups. Being resilient predicted CAM use only in the IBD group, and self-perceptions about handling stress predicted CAM use only in the arthritis group.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into how health-related self-perceptions are prospectively linked to provider-based CAM use in patients with chronic inflammatory disease. This information is important for both health-care practitioners and researchers as it has implications for maximizing the health-promoting aspects of CAM use and understanding CAM adherence.