Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and the associated socio-demographic factors among patients with mental disorders in the Turkish community.
Methods: One thousand and twenty-seven patients with a diagnosis of mental disorders who were attending psychiatric outpatient clinics in five Turkish cities were interviewed. A survey questionnaire, which included questions on socio-demographic characteristics and CAM use, was administered face-to-face by psychiatrists.
Results: 22.2% of patients with mental disorders were using some form of CAM in the Turkish community. CAM and medication concurrent users had a higher level of education and income compared to CAM users only or medicine users only (p < 0.001). The most common type of CAM used was herbal therapy (n = 146, 64%).
Conclusion: Use of CAM by patients with mental disorders should be investigated and taken into account by psychiatrists.
Keywords: Alternative medicine; Complementary medicine; Mental health; Socio-demographic variables.
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