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- Title
El uso de las terapias alternativas y complementarias en población mexicana con trastornos depresivos y de ansiedad: Resultados de una encuesta en la Ciudad de México.
- Authors
Gorn, Shoshana Berenzon; Navarro, Sarahí Alanís; Solano, Nayelhi Saavedra
- Abstract
The use of therapeutic methods and assistance different from the officially recognized ones, in addition to self-care practices, has remained constant throughout history. The extensive interest in so-called alternative or complementary medicine (ACM) has occurred as a result of their growing use in various countries. International literature reports the growing use of alternative and/or complementary treatments by persons with emotional disorders, particularly depression or anxiety. Commonly mentioned alternatives include relaxation techniques, physical therapies, herbal treatment, chiropractice and spiritual healing. The National Survey on Psychiatric Epidemiology undertaken in Mexico (2002) reported that 6.5% of the individuals with affective disorders in the 12 months prior to the study used some kind of alternative medicine. This occurred in 7.3% of the individuals with anxiety disorders and 3.9% of those with disorders associated with substance use. Information from surveys conducted in Mexico City showed that from 18% to 20% of the individuals with depressive disorders, 18% had physical disorders and over a quarter of those with anxiety problems seek a solution to their suffering in various types of alternative medicine. The aim of this study is therefore to determine the therapeutic resources used by the population to treat emotional problems and to analyze the prevalence of these practices in individuals with anxiety or depressive disorders. Method The study was conducted on the inhabitants of six neighborhoods in Mexico City. They were all selected on the basis of the criteria established in a multi-stage, stratified random sample design. The stratification variable used was socio-economic level. The questionnaire included four sections: 1) socio-demographic characteristics; 2) use of 10 self-care and/or alternative service resources related to the presence of emotional disorder; 3) characteristics of the resources or services use and 4) prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders. The ethical guidelines followed in this research included obtaining verbal informed consent and providing a clear explanation about the objectives of the research, and the way the dwelling and the persons were selected. The researchers stressed the interviewee's freedom to cancel the interview and guaranteed the confidential handling of the information. The diagnoses of mental disorders were obtained on the basis of the ICD-10 criteria. For the analysis of service use, the therapies were grouped into two categories, self care (home remedies, self-medication, physical activities, etc.) and alternative and/or complementary services (self-help groups, traditional Mexican medicine, clergy, etc.)..…
- Subjects
MEXICO City (Mexico); MEXICO; ALTERNATIVE medicine; AFFECTIVE disorders; MENTAL depression; HEALTH surveys; ANXIETY
- Publication
Salud Mental, 2009, Vol 32, Issue 2, p107
- ISSN
0185-3325
- Publication type
Article