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dc.contributor.authorDello Buono, M
dc.contributor.authorUrciuoli, O
dc.contributor.authorMarietta, P
dc.contributor.authorPadoani, W
dc.contributor.authorDe Leo, D
dc.contributor.editorDr. Richard Mayou, Dr. Colin M Shapiro
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-03T13:33:44Z
dc.date.available2017-05-03T13:33:44Z
dc.date.issued2001
dc.date.modified2010-09-20T06:55:35Z
dc.identifier.issn0022-3999
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/S0022-3999(00)00223-3
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/3522
dc.description.abstractObjective: Use and satisfaction with herbal/homeopathic remedies, acupuncture and relaxation techniques were examined in an Italian elderly population. Methods: Data were collected as part of a survey on an elderly population, conducted in 1996-1997 in the urban centre of Padua, Italy. A total of 1362 elderly received a letter inviting them to participate and to accept the visit of an interviewer at home. Of these, 212 were unable to do so for insurmountable reasons and 666 gave consent to take part in the study with a response rate of 65%. Eleven participants were excluded from the study because cognitively impaired. Results: Among the 655 respondents, overall use of at least one alternative medicine was 29.5%. Herbs/phytotherapeutics (47%) and acupuncture (34%) were the most frequently cited therapies. The use of alternative medical practices seems rather widespread among the elderly population in Padua, especially among females with depressive symptoms, pain and discomfort, but not suffering from chronic somatic disease. A percentage of 3.7% of the sample used exclusively alternative medicines; those subjects seemed to be younger, less likely to be physically ill and to report functional disorders and chronic somatic disease. Conclusion: Alternative medicines seem to have a complementary role for the elderly with self-perceived psychological symptomatology or disorders, particularly of depressive nature. They may constitute an attempt at self-treatment, probably concealing the difficulties encountered by the elderly subjects in seeking specialist advice for these problems.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.description.publicationstatusYes
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherElsevier Science
dc.publisher.placeUSA
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom147
dc.relation.ispartofpageto154
dc.relation.ispartofissue3
dc.relation.ispartofjournalJournal of Psychosomatic Research
dc.relation.ispartofvolume50
dc.subject.fieldofresearchBiomedical and clinical sciences
dc.subject.fieldofresearchPsychology
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode32
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode52
dc.titleAlternative medicine in a sample of 665 community-dwelling elderly.
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
gro.date.issued2001
gro.hasfulltextNo Full Text
gro.griffith.authorDe Leo, Diego


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