Subject(s)
Complementary Therapies , Multiple Sclerosis/therapy , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Roy's Adaptation Model guided an exploratory study of the association of alternative therapies with functional status and symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Data were collected from 16 volunteers by a telephone-administered interview schedule and a mailed questionnaire. All 16 respondents reported seeking traditional medical treatment and at least 1 alternative therapy (mode = 3, range = 1-9). The correlation between the number of alternative therapies and functional status was -.42; the greater the number of therapies used by the respondents, the lower their functional status. Qualitative data analysis revealed that functional status was enhanced by beneficial effects of specific alternative therapies, pacing oneself, changing the perception of self, and focusing on spiritual aspects of self. Self-reported MS symptoms were less severe following use of alternative therapies (p < .0005). Study of the differential effects of single and combined alternative therapies on functional status and symptom severity for large samples of people with MS is recommended.
Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Complementary Therapies , Multiple Sclerosis/physiopathology , Multiple Sclerosis/therapy , Severity of Illness Index , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Nursing , Nursing Methodology Research , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Sixteen people with multiple sclerosis (MS) responded to a semi-structured questionnaire about their experiences with alternative therapies. No definition of alternative therapies was provided. Physical therapy, counseling, nutrition, and massage were the most frequently used alternative therapies. Other therapies included acupuncture, occupational therapy, aquatic therapy, Therapeutic Touch, yoga, passive exercise, and removal of mercury alloy tooth fillings. Almost two thirds of the respondents reported seeking an alternative health practitioner because traditional physicians offered no cure for MS. Just under one third of the respondents stated that the quality of their lives was improved by alternative therapies.
