The use of complementary and alternative medicine by adults with allergies: a Czech national representative survey

Abstract

The prevalence rates of the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in allergy patients range from 42% in the United States up to 50% in Europe. In the Czech Republic, no such data exists. Our aim was to examine patterns in CAM use in populations with self-reported allergies in the Czech Republic. A sample of citizens aged 15 years and older, sex, age, and region-stratified, was randomly selected from the 2014 voter registration lists (n = 8,395,132). Respondents with self-reported allergies were further analyzed. This study shows the prevalence of CAM use among people with self-reported allergies in the Czech Republic is higher compared to other countries, with determinants of CAM varying across specific CAM categories.