Chinese-Americans' use of CAM for Mental Health

A study exploring the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among Chinese Americans with mental-health symptoms shows that one-quarter of that population utilizes massage therapy.

Out of 153 Chinese-American patients, 126 (82 percent) reported current use of CAM, including megavitamin therapy (46 percent), herbal medicine (43 percent), massage (25 percent), acupuncture (25 percent) and spiritual healing (25 percent).

Compared with nonusers, CAM users were older, female, employed, less well-functioning physically and less acculturated. Researchers from the Columbia University School of Social Work in New York, New York, conclude that “growing immigrant populations and increasing mental-health services consumption by members of ethnic-racial groups in the United States call for more attention to complementary alternative medicine use and its potential to aid conventional medical and mental services delivery.”

—Source: American Psychiatric Association (www.ps.psychiatryonline.org)