Combined treatment common amongst diabetics

A study carried out by researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charlesto, indicate that those diabetics who seek to use complementary, homeopathic or alternative medicines to treat their disease are also likely to use allopathic, conventional medicines and treatments. The evidence actually supports the fact that users of alternatives are more likely to seek conventional help.
The study analysed data collected from just under 2,500 diabetics, and concluded with the results that almost half were using some form of alternative medicine. These alternatives could include acupuncture, herbal therapy, music or art therapy, massage or relaxation therapy or chiropractic care. The authors of the study noted that, if the results were scaled up to a macro level, approximately 7 million American diabetics were using alternative therapy methods.
Alternative and complementary medicine has seen a severe increase in recent years, as diabetics seek to ease the complications and pain of the disease. A general demographic profile recorded that users of alternative or complementary medicine were likely to be younger, in employment, better-off and educated to a greater degree. One aspect of alternative medicine that limits its spread is cost.
The study will be published in the journal Diabetes Care.