Knowledge Center

HIV and Complementary and Alternative Medicine HIV and Complementary and Alternative Medicine: complementary medicines/methods such as herbs, massages, meditation etc and Alternative (traditional) medicine (medications) and HIV treatment.

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The following resources are available from the AETC Capitol Region Telehealth Project's Knowledge Center as well as repository locations of our collaborative partners. Materials are listed with most recent items first.

• Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicines for Treating HIV Infections and AIDS.
  This is a study to assess the effects of TCHM on patients with HIV infection and AIDS.
  Due to the limited number of RCTs for included trials and the small sample size of each study, researchers were not able to draw firm conclusions concerning TCHM therapy in treating patients with HIV infection and AIDS. Source: PubMed 2012
• The Assessment of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Individuals with HIV: A Systematic Review and Recommendations for Future Research
  This study discusses the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a group of health care practices and products that are not considered part of conventional medicine, has increased in recent years, particularly among individuals with human immune deficiency virus (HIV).  Assessing the prevalence and predictors of CAM use among HIV-positive populations is important because some CAM therapies may adversely affect the efficacy of conventional HIV medications.  The present study was to evaluate the quality of the instruments employed in observational studies assessing CAM use among HIV-positive populations by examining the degree to which these studies (1) evaluated the psychometric properties of their CAM instruments and (2) assessed the multidimensional nature of CAM use.  Findings revealed that CAM assessment--regardless of the specific study population--is a complex and challenging task. However, CAM instruments will not become more refined over time in the absence of rigorous psychometric evaluation. Future research must assess reliability and validity and report these data in a clear and nuanced manner. Source: PubMed 2011
• Non-conventional practices and immune functioning among individuals receiving conventional care for HIV
  The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among non-conventional practices, adherence and immune functioning in individuals with HIV.
  Source: Pubmed 2011
• Acupuncture and the relaxation response for treating gastrointestinal symptoms in HIV patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy
  This study examines the effect of acupuncture and the relaxation response for treating gastrointestinal symptoms in HIV patients who are using highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
  Source: Pubmed 2011
• A Global Perspective on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among People Living with HIV/AIDS in the Era of Antiretroviral Treatment
  This article reviews the role of CAM in HIV treatment and the implications of CAM use for Antiretroviral Treatment uptake and adherence.
  Source: Pubmed 2011
• Alternative and Complementary Medicine for People Living with HIV, including do they work, and why is there so little proof?
  Source: AVERT 2011