Exploring the gender specific association between use of complementary and alternative medicine and alcohol consumption and injuries caused by drinking. The sixth Tromsø study

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have found that the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is associated with several characteristic, such as female gender, higher education and higher income. However, studies investigating the relationship between alcohol consumption patterns and different CAM approaches have so far been limited. Harmful use of alcohol has detrimental consequences to individuals and society in Norway. CAM on the other hand may play an important role in disease prevention and health promotion, however, due to gaps in the knowledge about CAM and CAM users its role in many areas remains unclear. Increased knowledge about the use of different CAM approaches and its association to alcohol consumption could be valuable when preventive measures against harmful use of alcohol are planned and carried out. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe and compare alcohol consumption and injuries related to alcohol across gender and use of different CAM approaches (alternative practitioner, herbal or “natural” medicine or self-treatment with CAM). Data and method: The data used in this thesis is gathered from the sixth Tromsø Study. The study was conducted in the municipality of Tromsø between 2007 and 2008 and the data used in this thesis is obtained from questionnaires. Information on CAM and alcohol consumption was available for 6819 women and 5994 men, 64.8% of the invited individuals are included in the current thesis. The descriptive statistics were preformed using chi-square and independent sample t-tests. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between the different CAM approaches and alcohol consumptions and injuries caused by drinking. The binary logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age, level of education, household income and self-reported health. Main analyses were stratified by gender. Results: The main analyses revealed that the women who reported drinking alcohol 2 times a month or more frequently were more likely to have applied herbal or “natural” medicine and self-treatment techniques, compared to those who never drank, and those who only drank monthly or more infrequently. An association was also found between having experienced injuries to themselves or others because of their drinking and use of self-treatment techniques and visit to a CAM practitioner, for women. No association was found between amount of alcohol consumed when drinking and the use of CAM approaches. Among the men, an association was found between injuries caused by drinking and the use of herbal or “natural” medicine. No other relationship was found for men. Conclusion: Contrary to our predictions, the findings from this cross-sectional study suggests that women who drink more frequently are more likely to use herbal or “natural” medicine and self-treatment techniques. Both women and men who have experienced injuries cause by their drinking are more likely to have used some CAM approaches. The study does not draw any conclusions regarding causality.