Author: Keri A. Kovacsiss

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 124

ISBN-13:

Rising medical costs have become a national issue in the U.S. (Hulme and Long 2005, Seifert and Rukavina 2006, Wright and Rogers 2011) and medical debt and medical bankruptcy have become more common (Seifert and Rukavina 2006, Wright and Rogers 2011). Meanwhile, CAM use has increased in the U.S. (Ben-Ary et al. 2011, Ditte et al. 2011, Dolder et al. 2003, and Wetzel et al. 2003). This study used qualitative methods to identify how rising medical costs and the rise in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use were affecting participants. Particularly, data were collected in order to identify whether participants were utilizing CAM to combat rising medical costs. This study also explored how participant interactions and attitudes influenced their health and healing behaviors. These topics were explored from the perspective of participants with various social roles within and outside of the health care industry: consumers, physicians, nurses, and a CAM practitioner. Despite the fact that CAM is typically outside of the health care industry, which is considered the norm, most of the participants recognized the legitimacy and effectiveness of CAM. Even medical professionals, who are educated in the dominance of the health care industry and traditional Western medicine, had positive views of CAM use. Participants also described that they, or others, were utilizing CAM as tool in order to combat negative aspects of the health care industry. The negative aspects that were described by participants were medical expenses, overmedication, somatic therapies, and difficulties in communicating. Although not every one of these issues was overtly related to costs, many responses reflected a cost component. Thus, CAM is utilized by participants as a tool to combat negative aspects of the health care industry---especially medical costs. Despite the fact that CAM can be utilized in this way, CAM is not fully integrated into the health care industry. The exclusion, or rarity, of CAM use within the industry is most likely a business decision by corporate elites in the industry to maintain control and profitability---decisions which profoundly influence the health of the population.