Pleural effusion: characterization with CT attenuation values and CT appearance.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of CT in characterizing pleural effusions on the basis of attenuation values and CT appearance.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 100 pleural effusions in patients who underwent chest CT and diagnostic thoracentesis within 48 hours of each other. On the basis of Light's criteria, effusions were classified as exudates or transudates using laboratory biochemistry markers.

Role of religiosity and spirituality in complementary and alternative medicine use among cancer survivors in California.

Objectives: Cancer survivors often turn to religion, spirituality, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) because they perceive these areas as being more holistic and patient-centered than conventional medicine. Because increased religiosity and spirituality have been found to be associated with higher CAM use in the general population, it was hypothesized that these factors would be important predictors of CAM use in cancer survivors.

Design And Subjects: The study included a subsample of 1844 people with cancer or a history of cancer from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey of CAM, a cross-sectional survey of a population-based sample of adults in California.

How does acculturation affect the use of complementary and alternative medicine providers among Mexican- and Asian-Americans?

Researchers have found that immigrants in the United States gradually relinquish cultural practices and adopt health behaviors similar to native born individuals as they acculturate. Few studies have looked at acculturation and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use, particularly ethnic forms of CAM. This study uses data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey-Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CHIS-CAM) supplement to estimate the prevalence of CAM provider use among Mexican- and Asian- Americans and examine the relationship of acculturation on use.

Dietary supplement use in individuals living with cancer and other chronic conditions: a population-based study.

Objective: Cancer survivors are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to manage short- and long-term treatment sequelae. Population-based data on relative use of dietary supplements among cancer survivors compared to those without a cancer history is lacking. Our objective was to compare supplement use among those with and without cancer and among those with and without other chronic conditions, and to identify correlates of supplement use by cancer status.

Religious and spiritual practices and identification among individuals living with cancer and other chronic disease.

Religion and spirituality in the context of health care are poorly understood, particularly for individuals with chronic illness. Using data from the 2003 Complementary and Alternative Medicine supplement to the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, we examined whether cancer survivors (n = 1,777) and individuals with other chronic illnesses (n = 4,784) were either more likely to identify themselves as religious and spiritual or more likely to use religious and spiritual practices for health purposes than individuals with no disease (n = 2,342). We observed that cancer survivors and individuals with chronic illnesses were more likely than those with no disease to use religious and spiritual prayer and healing practices.

Use of health-related and cancer-specific support groups among adult cancer survivors.

Background: Data from the National Health Interview Survey suggest that the utilization of mental health services among cancer survivors is low and unmet needs are high for some. However, to the authors' knowledge little is known regarding the prevalence and predictors of participation in health-related support groups.

Methods: A total of 9187 participants in the California Health Interview Survey Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CHIS-CAM) study completed a telephone interview in 2003 (1844 participants with cancer and 4951 participants with other chronic health problems).

The use and perceived benefit of complementary and alternative medicine among Californians with cancer.

Population-based data on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among cancer sufferers is lacking. In a telephone survey representative of California households (response rate = 68.9%, N = 1845) those who reported a diagnosis of cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) were asked about CAM use.

Complementary and alternative medicine use among Asian-American subgroups: prevalence, predictors, and lack of relationship to acculturation and access to conventional health care.

Objectives: Acculturation and access to conventional health care have been found to be predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in the general population. We hypothesized that these factors would be predictors of CAM use in Asian-American subgroups. Because of differences in health and cultural beliefs, we also hypothesized that patterns and predictors of CAM use would vary among Asian-American subgroups.

The impact of psychosocial factors on neck pain and disability outcomes among primary care patients: results from the UCLA Neck Pain Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to estimate the associations of psychosocial factors with pain and disability outcomes among neck-pain patients enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of chiropractic treatments.

Methods: Neck-pain patients were randomized to one of 8 modes of chiropractic treatment. Health status and psychosocial variables were measured at baseline.

Variation in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use across racial/ethnic groups and the development of ethnic-specific measures of CAM use.

Objectives: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is likely to vary among racial/ethnic groups because its use is related to cultural and health beliefs. Understanding patterns of CAM use among ethnic groups could inform clinical practice and the study of CAM use in a diverse population. The authors compared CAM use among Asian-Americans, American Indians, African Americans, Latinos, whites, and other racial/ethnic groups in order to develop ethnic-specific measures of CAM use and explore factors associated with such CAM use across ethnic groups.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine among california adults with and without cancer.

This article examines the extent and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among a population-based sample of California adults that is highly diverse in terms of sociodemographic characteristics and health status. As a follow-up to a state-wide health survey of 55,428 people, 9187 respondents were interviewed by phone regarding their use of 11 different types of CAM providers, special diets, dietary supplements, mind-body interventions, self-prayer and support groups. The sample included all participants in the initial survey who reported a diagnosis of cancer, all the non-white respondents, as well as a random sample of all the white respondents.

The impact of treatment confidence on pain and related disability among patients with low-back pain: results from the University of California, Los Angeles, low-back pain study.

Background Context: Although many researchers and practitioners believe that patients' positive expectations of their treatment favorably influence clinical outcomes, there is little scientific evidence to support this belief.

Purpose: To describe the level of patients' initial confidence in the success of their assigned treatment, by treatment group and other factors; and to estimate the effects of treatment confidence on subsequent changes in low-back pain and related disability. STUDY DESIGN AND PATIENT SAMPLE: Randomized clinical trial involving 681 patients treated for low-back pain in a managed-care facility in Southern California.