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The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Refugees: A Systematic Review

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Abstract

Little is known about the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among refugees, despite the common practice of CAM in many non-Western countries. We performed a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature using nine electronic databases. We included articles pertaining to refugees and CAM (whole medical systems, mind body medicine, herbal remedies, manipulative therapies, energy medicine). Qualitative and quantitative data were compiled and analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi square distribution tables. We reviewed 237 abstracts, and 47 publications met our inclusion criteria. Twenty-six papers documented whole medical systems; 11 mind–body medicine; 5 biologically based practices; 4 manipulative and body-based therapies; and 1 study documented the use of energy medicine. There were 3 clinical trials, 20 surveys, 12 case reports, 2 participant-observer qualitative papers, and 10 review papers. Most studies focused on Asian refugee populations (66%; n = 31). Mental problems related to trauma accounted for 36% of CAM use (17). Among included articles, methodological quality was extremely low. Our results show evidence that type of CAM used by refugees may vary based on ethnicity, yet this is most likely due to a bias in the medical literature. Efforts are needed to further explore these results and expand research within this field.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Sondra Crosby and Dr. Lin Piwowarczyk for revisions and feedback; Tien Do for his help retrieving articles; and Rachel Vannice, Sarah Nasta, and Gina Duong for their general support. Sabrina MacDuff was funded by a Boston University Undergraduate Research Opportunities Project (UROP) grant to conduct this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St. Talbot 3W, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Sabrina MacDuff & Michael A. Grodin

  2. Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, Boston, MA, USA

    Michael A. Grodin

  3. Department of Family Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Paula Gardiner

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  1. Sabrina MacDuff
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  2. Michael A. Grodin
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  3. Paula Gardiner
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Correspondence to Sabrina MacDuff.

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MacDuff, S., Grodin, M.A. & Gardiner, P. The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Refugees: A Systematic Review. J Immigrant Minority Health 13, 585–599 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9318-8

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