Care-seeking, use of CAM, and self-management among people with Type 2 Diabetes and

在澳大利亚，慢性病和相关的健康问题的患病率正在增加。最近的估计表明，2型糖尿病和心脏病每年给澳大利亚社区造成近90亿美元的直接成本。然而，慢性病患者遵循不同的医疗和行为处方，同时也使用补充和替代(CAM)疗法、从业者、维生素和草药。我们将探讨两种最常见的慢性疾病--心血管疾病和糖尿病--被确诊和正在接受治疗的患者向CAM从业者介绍和使用治疗的原因，以建立与坚持他们的处方治疗的关系。重点是什么被描述为使用CAM的“驱动因素、成本和收益”，以及CAM和传统保健方法的实际交互作用如何支持坚持。这项研究计划将对这些疾病的控制和个人福祉产生非常重要的影响。利用创新的跨学科方法和混合的研究方法，这项研究将提供独特的证据，证明社区对补充和替代医学的方法和使用，以及这对当前和未来卫生需求的意义。该计划将利用跨学科的技能，以新颖的方式探索卫生和社会领域，这些领域迄今受到的关注有限。通过纳入两名博士，我们将加强澳大利亚在该领域的健康社会科学和公共卫生方面的研究能力，产生对该国人口健康实践和政策重要的新技能。

Chronic disease and related health problems are increasing in prevalence in Australia. Recent estimates suggest that Type 2 diabetes and heart disease cost the Australian community almost $9 billion in direct costs per annum. People with chronic conditions follow medical and behavioural prescriptions variably, however, while also using complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies, practitioners, vitamins and herbs. We will explore the reasons for presentation to and use of CAM practitioners and therapies by people diagnosed with and under treatment for two of the most commonly diagnosed chronic conditions - cardiovascular disease and diabetes - in order to establish the relationship with adherence to their prescribed treatment. The focus is on what is described as the “drivers, costs and benefits” of the use of CAM, and how the practical interaction of CAM and conventional health care approaches may support adherence. This research program will have very important implications for the control of these diseases and individual wellbeing. Using an innovative interdisciplinary approach and a mix of research methods, the research will provide a unique evidencebase on community approaches to and use of complementary and alternative medicine, and the significance of this to current and future health needs. The program will take advantage of the interdisciplinary skills in novel ways to explore areas of health and society that have so far received limited attention. By including two PhDs, we will strengthen Australia’s research capacity in health social sciences and public health in this field, generating new skills important to population health practice and policy in this country.