Introduction
The usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is becoming increasingly popular. Many US citizens, including both adults and children, are interested in nonconventional healthcare approaches, some of which emerge outside of traditional Western practice (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health [NCCIH], 2021). In particular, about 30% of Americans are reported to turn to CAM (NCCIH, 2021). An important part of CAM treatments is prayer, and the prevalence of people relying on such a method should be explored to provide them with better care.
Discussion
To understand the percentage of individuals utilizing CAM with prayer, one must comprehend the nature of CAM. NCCIH (2021) suggests that complementary treatment refers to a combination of non-mainstream and conventional medicine, whereas alternative means using a non-customary approach instead of traditional therapy. For instance, the former includes nutritional, psychological, and psychical methods, although some persons tend to merge the listed techniques (NCCIH, 2021). Accordingly, the prevalence of CAM among different demographics has been studied extensively in recent years (NCCIH, 2021). Nonetheless, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2021) does not seem to explicitly mention prayer as a practice within CAM. However, the use of healing invocations is often noticed in studies conducted in the US, potentially due to a relatively high level of religiosity (SouÄŤek & Hofreiter, 2022). Despite prayer appearing not officially recognized in the CAM context, it is necessary to examine how many individuals rely on CAM with and without spiritual devotions to determine additional ways of helping people.
Furthermore, the prevalence of those including prayer in the CAM can be explored on the example of persons dealing with pain. Ludwick et al. (2019) have conducted substantial research reviewing studies published in relation to CAM treatments against cancer the ache in the period between 2007 and 2017. The authors indicate that invocation is included within the mind-body therapies (MBTs), which are the most frequently reported modalities of CAM (Ludwick et al., 2019). Consequently, prayer or other acts of spirituality are registered as the most typical type of MBTs, with the preponderance ranging from 61.4% to 100% (Ludwick et al., 2019). Those who do not rely on invocation appear to choose relaxation techniques (approximately 44% to 54%) and meditation (about 19%) (Ludwick et al., 2019). Notably, individuals of Hispanic and African American descent seem to have a higher dependence on religion, whereas persons identifying as Asian/Pacific Islanders are less likely to seek support in faith (Ludwick et al., 2019). Consequently, prayer is reported to be quite commonly employed within the CAM context among people suffering from pain in studies conducted within a decade.
Conclusion
To conclude, prayer is a significant element of complementary and alternative medicine, and its prevalence should be explored further to provide people with better care. Although the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health does not mention invocation among CAM treatments, such an approach appears to be popular. Different investigations conducted between 2007 and 2017 demonstrate that the percentages of people using CAM with prayer are higher than those who rely on other CAM therapies. While the reviewed above study presents a wide range, one can assume that at least 50% of individuals are likely to turn to religion. Although such a statistic may not reflect the whole nation, it seems enough to indicate that the utilization of CAM with invocation deserves more attention. In order to maximize the benefits of CAM, it is essential to take an active role in offering prayer in combination with other forms of medical care.
References
Ludwick, A., Corey, K., & Meghani, S. (2020). Racial and socioeconomic factors associated with the use of complementary and alternative modalities for pain in cancer outpatients: An integrative review. Pain Management Nursing, 21(2), 142-150. Web.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2021). Complementary, alternative, or integrative health: What’s in a name? NCCIH. Web.
SouÄŤek, I., & Hofreiter, R. (2022). Complementary and alternative medicine use in Slovakia: Results of a national population survey. SAGE Open, 12(1), 1-10. Web.