CAM - Complementary and Alternative Medicine

CAM Use Among Children

The 2007 NHIS asked selected adult respondents about CAM use by children in their households. Overall, approximately 12 percent of children use some form of CAM. Use is greater among:

• Children whose parents used CAM (23.9%)
• Adolescents aged 12-17 (16.4%), compared to younger children
• White children (12.8%), compared to Hispanic children (7.9%) and black children (5.9%)
• Children whose parents had higher education levels (more than high school: 14.7%)
• Children with six or more health conditions (23.8%)
• Children whose families delayed conventional care because of cost (16.9%)

Figures 7–9 show survey findings on CAM use by children, including top therapies, natural products, and diseases/conditions.