Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Autism Spectrum Disorder: parents’ experience from a middle-income European country
Journal
International Journal of Developmental Disabilities
Date Issued
2023-12-16
Author(s)
Stojanovska, Irena
DOI
10.1080/20473869.2023.2283646
Abstract
Introduction: This study quantitatively evaluated the use and perceived efficacy of Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in
Macedonia, a middle-income country in Southeast Europe.
Methods: A web-based survey was conducted among 103 parents of 103 individuals with ASD, and
descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data.
Results: For the purpose of this study, special diets and the other CAM treatments were analyzed separately.
CAMs were used by 76% of the participants with ASD, while 29% were on a special diet. Over 90% of
parents positively rated the efficacy of CAM and special diets. Higher parental education was associated with
higher CAM use (p¼0.042). The age of the individual with ASD (p¼0.009), severity of ASD (p¼0.037), and
co-occurring neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders (p¼0.029) also influenced the use of CAMs
and/or special diets. Around half of parents were not/were partially informed by their providers about the
treatments they recommended.
Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of use of CAM (somewhat lower of special diets) coupled
with insufficient familiarity with the attributes of these treatments. Found to affect the use of CAM and/or special
diets were the level of parental education, the age of the affected individual, severity of ASD, and the
presence of co-occurring neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders.
Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in
Macedonia, a middle-income country in Southeast Europe.
Methods: A web-based survey was conducted among 103 parents of 103 individuals with ASD, and
descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data.
Results: For the purpose of this study, special diets and the other CAM treatments were analyzed separately.
CAMs were used by 76% of the participants with ASD, while 29% were on a special diet. Over 90% of
parents positively rated the efficacy of CAM and special diets. Higher parental education was associated with
higher CAM use (p¼0.042). The age of the individual with ASD (p¼0.009), severity of ASD (p¼0.037), and
co-occurring neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders (p¼0.029) also influenced the use of CAMs
and/or special diets. Around half of parents were not/were partially informed by their providers about the
treatments they recommended.
Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of use of CAM (somewhat lower of special diets) coupled
with insufficient familiarity with the attributes of these treatments. Found to affect the use of CAM and/or special
diets were the level of parental education, the age of the affected individual, severity of ASD, and the
presence of co-occurring neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders.
Subjects
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