Clinical trial NCT01660139: Use of Alternative Medicine Among Outpatients in Dermatology and Primary Care Clinics
Official title: Use of Alternative Medicine Among Outpatients in Dermatology and Primary Care Clinics
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Dermatologic Disorders
Lead sponsor: Northwestern University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2012-08-08
Enrollment: 75
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: OTHER
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Patients attending clinic appointments in dermatology and primary care clinics.

Brief summary: This study is to assess the practice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for skin related conditions among patients in the Primary Care and Dermatology clinics.

Detailed description: This study aims to determine the prevalence and characteristics complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage among Primary Care and Dermatology clinic patients through the use of an anonymous, self-completed written survey. This survey will assess the prevalence and regularity of CAM usage (with and without concurrent use of allopathic therapies), the reasons for CAM usage, perceived success with CAM usage, and socioeconomic status, in both Dermatology and Primary Care patients. We will then compare these elements of CAM usage between the two clinic patient populations.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years or older
* Presents for a clinic appointment with a dermatologist or primary care physician
* English-speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

* Less than 18 years or older
* Non-English speaking

Primary outcomes:
measure: Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine usage among patients in the clinics
timeFrame: 5 minutes to complete survey
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Characteristics of the patients complementary and alternative medicine use
timeFrame: 5 minutes to complete survey
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Chicago
country: United States
facility: Northwestern University Department of Dermatology
state: Illinois
Study officials:
affiliation: Northwestern University
name: Maria Colavincenzo, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Tindle HA, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Eisenberg DM. Trends in use of complementary and alternative medicine by US adults: 1997-2002. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 Jan-Feb;11(1):42-9.
citation: Parkman CA. CAM therapies and nursing competency. J Nurses Staff Dev. 2002 Mar-Apr;18(2):61-5; quiz 66-7. doi: 10.1097/00124645-200203000-00001.
citation: Ernst E. The usage of complementary therapies by dermatological patients: a systematic review. Br J Dermatol. 2000 May;142(5):857-61. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2000.03463.x.
citation: Ernst E, Pittler MH, Stevinson C. Complementary/alternative medicine in dermatology: evidence-assessed efficacy of two diseases and two treatments. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2002;3(5):341-8. doi: 10.2165/00128071-200203050-00006.
citation: Smith N, Shin DB, Brauer JA, Mao J, Gelfand JM. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among adults with skin disease: results from a national survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Mar;60(3):419-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.11.905. Epub 2009 Jan 20.
citation: Fuhrmann T, Smith N, Tausk F. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among adults with skin disease: updated results from a national survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010 Dec;63(6):1000-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2009.12.009. Epub 2010 Oct 8.