Reference: June 2025 | Issue 6 | Vol 11 | Page 14
Patients with chronic conditions are known to be higher users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices, yet little information regarding the extent of such use exists.
Researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland aimed to address this knowledge gap. They conducted an online survey through Sjögren’s Research Ireland which used an adapted version of the International Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (I-CAM-Q).
A total of 296 individuals responded to the survey. Of these, 88.5 per cent had a formal diagnosis of Sjögren’s. The majority (93.6 per cent) were female, across all age groups.
Over half (52 per cent) of non-retired respondents were at least partially unable to work due to their diagnosis. Over half of all respondents (58.8 per cent) listed at least one concomitant health problem.
Most respondents (83.8 per cent) had used some form of complementary and alternative medicine within the preceding 12 months. One in four had attended a CAM practitioner.
The most common were chiropractors (8.4 per cent) and acupuncturists (7.8 per cent). Conventional healthcare and CAM providers were both consulted more commonly for management of chronic conditions or for wellbeing than for acute symptom management.
Almost two-thirds of respondents (66.2 per cent) reported the use of self-administered CAM, predominantly vitamins/minerals or dietary supplements. A higher proportion (69.9 per cent) used various self-care practices, with the most commonly reported being meditation, relaxation techniques, and prayer.
The findings show that people in Ireland with Sjögren’s attend both conventional healthcare providers and CAM practitioners to a high degree and use a diverse range of complementary therapies and practices.
Healthcare professionals need to consider and discuss potential CAM use by these patients, and offer evidence-based patient education about CAM therapies and practices, the authors advised.
Reference
Flood M, Ní Gabhann-Dromgoole J, Tynan G, et al. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among people living with Sjögren’s: A cross-sectional survey using a modified international CAM questionnaire (I-CAM-Q). Rheumatol Int. 2025 Feb 20;45(3):55. doi: 10.1007/s00296-025-05802-w. PMID: 39976693; PMCID: PMC11842488.
