CAM means complementary and alternative medicine, and it is a form of medical care that reaches beyond the usual western practice of medicine. It is a healthcare approach that is complementary or an alternative to conventional medicine. Complementary approaches are categorized by their type of therapy which is nutritional, psychological, physical, or a mixture. Examples of these approaches are yoga, massage, meditation, mindful eating, dietary supplements, or acupuncture. CAM uses a wide array of products and practices and incorporates a broad range of beliefs. From viewing the National Institute of Health (NIH, 2021) website, the typical person using CAM is looking for complementary or alternative ways to deal with anxiety or pain. The use of CAM rose significantly over a span of 5 years. Non-Hispanic white women aged 18-44 were most likely to use complementary or alternative approaches to medicine (Clarke, et. al., 2017).
Using the NIH website, how would you describe CAM and the typical person who uses CAM?