Americans Spend Huge Amounts on Alternative Health Care
Americans spent $33.9 billion out of their own pockets on complementary and alternative health care products and services (complementary alternative medicine – CAM) during a 12 month period leading up to 2007, according to a government survey. CAM includes products and services like herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic, and acupuncture. The majority of the spending went to the purchase of non-vitamin, non-mineral, natural products ($14.8 billion) such as fish oil, glucosamine and Echinacea. The US National Institutes of Health lists three conditions for which fish oil and other omega-3 sources are the most highly recommended: hypertriglyceridemia, secondary cardiovascular disease prevention (associated with sleep disordered breathing – something shift workers may be more susceptible to) and high blood pressure (people working shift work and rotating shifts need to pay attention to heart health to avoid cardiovascular disease). NIH also lists 27 other conditions for which there is less evidence that fish oil can help, but some evidence nevertheless. It also lists possible safety issues resulting from overdose.
U.S. adults also spent approximately $11.9 billion on an estimated 354.2 million visits to CAM practitioners such as acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc. Shift workers are at increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders which are often treated by CAM practitioners.
To look at the relevancy of these statistics, the $14.8 billion spent on nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products is equivalent to approximately one-third of total out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs, and the $11.9 billion spent on CAM practitioner visits is equivalent to approximately one-quarter of total out-of-pocket spending on physician visits.
Clearly these cost are above and beyond health care spending reported by insurance companies and businesses. Everywhere you look, the costs are adding up…..and at an economic time that we can’t afford them. Prevention is critical and individuals, businesses, insurance companies, medical providers and state and federal government agencies need work together on this. Easier said than done, obviously. But, if collectively we can succeed, we’ll all be better off.
Tags: Health Care, rotating shifts, shift work
