International college students' perceptions on complementary and alternative medical practices.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the complementary and alternative medicinal (CAM) choices of international college students in the U.S.

Participants: A total of 192 international college students participated in this study.

Methods: Participants completed a survey with demographic and background information, such as gender, age, years living in the U.S., country of origin, cultural and religious influences on health decision-making, CAM usage, and the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Beliefs Inventory (CAMBI).

Results: Results showed that there was a significant difference in CAMBI scores and age groups with those in the age groups of 20-29 and 30+ having higher CAMBI scores than those in the 18-19 age group. Participants had high scores on the CAMBI.

Conclusion: Overall, participants showed a wide range of CAM usage with most participants indicating a need for CAM options on university campuses.