Objective:

2

To investigate the prevalence and spectrum of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) application and its related-factors in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients in China.

Methods:

2

A structured questionnaire regarding the use of CAMs was administered to PD patients by face-to-face interview. Demographic and social variables

clinical characteristics and treatments

and the related factors of PD were also surveyed.

Results:

2

Ninety out of 113 patients (79.6%) reported that they had received CAMs treatment

of which 48.6% (55/113) patients had received CAMs treatment for PD. The top 3 kinds of CAMs for PD were Chinese materia medica

rehabilitation exercise

and acupuncture ordinally. The source of information regarding CAMs treatment mainly came from relatives and friends (51.8%

73 cases)

followed by physicians (31.9%

45 cases)

and medias such as television

newspapers or the internet (16.3%

28 cases). Fifty percent of CAM users reported a good therapeutic efficacy

whereas 39% patients reported that they felt neither better nor worse after the treatment

while 11% patients claimed worsening of symptoms. Multiple correspondence analyses survey found the main factors affecting the selectivity of CAMs ranked in the following order: income

education

occupation

habitation

age at onset

Hoehn and Yahr staging

PD duration

and gender.

Conclusion:

2

CAMs

especially Chinese materia medica

rehabilitation exercise

and acupuncture

are widely used for PD patients in China.