Who is a “typical” consumer of complementary health care services?
Like traditional medicine, there is no “typical” consumer of complementary health care. In some cases, individuals use complementary health care therapies because acupuncture, massage therapy, or other services have been recommended by their medical doctor. Many patients choose complementary health care when traditional therapies have failed to bring the desired results, or when they prefer to try less invasive therapies—or in order to ensure that they have tried all options for attaining the best possible outcome when treating their health condition. According to a 1998 study conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers, consumers make almost twice as many visits to complementary health care providers every year than they do to primary care physicians, and an estimated four in 10 Americans use some form of complementary health care every year. With regards to lifestyle, consumers who use complementary health care are more likely to exercise, eat well, and be in better overall shape
