Complementary and Alternative Medicine

According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition, folk medicine is: "traditional medicine as practiced nonprofessionally, especially by people isolated from modern medical services and usually involving the use of plant-derived remedies on an empirical basis." Yet, in the United States today, where modern medical care is widely available, individuals from minority and immigrant cultural groups often choose to use folk or traditional treatments before or concurrently with modern health care. These folk or traditional treatments are often called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

In 1992, Congress provided funding to establish the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate and evaluate promising unconventional medical practices. Subsequently, Congress elevated OAM in 1998 to the status of an NIH center— the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). NCCAM was created to investigate CAM and to provide information regarding effectiveness and safety. The efficacy of many of these practices is still the subject of much debate.

Many Asian Americans practice both Asian and Western healing methods or resort to the other when one fails. Some Asians view Western medicine as more powerful for acute illness and Eastern medicine as essential for regulating daily health. When beliefs contradict each other, some Asians will not adhere to Western medicine. Providers who show awareness and respect for the use of CAM can foster open communication, improve adherence to Western medicine, and avoid harmful interactions between Western and traditional medicine.

Sok Man Kwong speaks about using both Western and traditional Chinese doctors. | 1.4 MB Flash File Karen Anne Wolf also discusses this topic in this video. | 5.5 MB Flash File

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