Complementary/alternative medicine use for arthritis by older women of urban-rural settings.

Purpose: This study described the use of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) for arthritis management among community-dwelling older women in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Data Sources: A descriptive qualitative approach using focus group method was employed. A purposive sample of 50 women ages 66-101 who managed arthritis with CAM participated in eight semistructured focus groups: rural (n=22), suburban (n=17), and urban areas (n=11).