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Gloria Y. Yeh, MD, MPH, David M. Eisenberg, MD, Roger B. Davis, ScD and Russell S. Phillips, MD

The authors are with the Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, and the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Gloria Y. Yeh, MD, MPH, Harvard Osher Institute, 401 Park Dr, Suite 22A, Boston, MA 02215 (e-mail: gyeh{at}caregroup.harvard.edu).

Objectives. This study sought to characterize the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among persons with diabetes mellitus residing in the United States.

Methods. Data from a 1997–1998 national survey (n = 2055) on CAM use were examined.

Results. Ninety-five respondents reported having diabetes, of whom 57% reported CAM use in the past year; fewer respondents (35%) reported use specifically for diabetes. Therapies used for diabetes included solitary prayer/spiritual practices (28%), herbal remedies (7%), commercial diets (6%), and folk remedies (3%). Excluding solitary prayer, only 20% of respondents used CAM to treat diabetes.

Conclusions. The prevalence of CAM therapy use among persons with diabetes is comparable to that among the general population. Use of CAM therapies specifically to treat diabetes, however, is much less common.

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