Perceived Benefits of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Dr. Anne McCaffrey, the Director of Research and Education at the Marino Center for Integrative Health, was part of a research team that conducted a study of the perceived benefits of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The purpose of the study was to examine the benefits associated with CAM treatments from the patient’s perspective using a whole systems research approach as a guiding framework. The study involved focus groups of six to eight patients each, all of whom have experienced CAM therapies. The results of the study will be published in Open Complementary and Alternative Medicine Journal.

In general, participants described physical health benefits including relief and improved function, and positive psychological benefits such as improved coping and resilience. Social health benefits that arose from the positive aspects of the patient-practitioner relationship were also reported, including support and advocacy. In addition, participants identified empowerment, increased hope and spiritual growth as results of receiving CAM treatments.