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The Health Quality of Older Americans

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Road Less Traveled?

Research Report

November 2000


In 1997, 83 million Americans - 42% of the population - used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The largest segment of CAM users is age 50 to 64, and the number of CAM users age 65 and older is increasing. In this Issue Brief, Craig Caplan and Kelly Griffin of AARP's Public Policy Institute provide a policy-oriented overview of CAM, including such topics as user characteristics, federal government research, sources of insurance coverage for CAM, and legislation affecting both CAM practitioners and consumers. (14 pages)

Pub ID: IB46