Methodological limitations prevent definitive conclusions on the effects of patients' preferences in randomized clinical trials evaluating musculoskeletal conditions.

Objective: To systematically and critically evaluate how patients' preferences have been measured and analyzed in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating musculoskeletal conditions.

Study Design And Settings: PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials, CINAHL, LILACS, and PEDro were searched for RCTs in which authors reported that patients' preferences were measured before randomization.

Results: Five studies investigated if patients' preferences modify treatment effect (difference in outcomes between allocation groups), and seven studies examined the effect of patients' preferences on outcomes (within-group changes in outcome over time).

Survey of CAM interest, self-care, and satisfaction with health care for type 2 diabetes at group health cooperative.

Background: Very little research has explored the factors that influence interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. We surveyed persons with sub-optimally controlled type 2 diabetes to evaluate potential relationships between interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments, current self-care practices, motivation to improve self-care practices and satisfaction with current health care for diabetes.

Methods: 321 patients from a large integrated healthcare system with type 2 diabetes, who were not using insulin and had hemoglobin A1c values between 7.