CAM for library technicians: sources of information

Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | [email_address] | LIBR2195 Week 12 July 2011 Complementary & alternative medicine (CAM): an introduction to sources of information for Library Technicians

In CAM, it is often hard to tell what is meant to be information & what is advertising
Prescription drugs interact with herbal remedies & may cause adverse reactions
Regulation of CAM products in Canada is strict
Quackery a problem, due to Internet
Complementary medicine information Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

Ask yourself: is this information? Or, advertising?
Health magazines are there to sell products
Weight lifting / body building mags
Retail stores promote & sell products
Web - dot.com sites, Quackwatch
Beware of misleading claims & testimonials
Complementary medicine information Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
Any medical system, practice, or product that is not thought of as standard care
Complementary medicine
A CAM therapy used along with standard medicine
Alternative medicine
A CAM therapy used in place of standard treatments
Integrative medicine
An approach that combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM, and for which there is high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness
CAM Definitions Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

AltHealthWatch
CAM in PubMed
CINAHL (EBSCO host )
EMBASE
Some free @ scirus.com
Google scholar
CAM websites
Print sources
Standard tools
Public libraries
Online
Sources of information in CAM Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

British Columbia Naturopathic Association
http://www.bcna.ca/
Boucher Institute Of Naturopathic Medicine
http://www.binm.org
BC Government – Naturopathy Regulations
http:// www.healthplanning.gov.bc.ca/leg/notice/naturopathy.html
Health Canada – Natural Health Branch
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodnatur/index_e.html
CAM in BC and Canada Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

CAMline – http://www.camline.ca
PedCAM – http://www.pedcam.ca
Red Book Online – directory source of services
UBC medical students operate alternative & integrative medical society
Free online Wellness Directory of CAM services in BC
Other forms of CAM information in Canada & US Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

1. Alternative medicine systems
2. Mind body
3. Drugs and supplements
Herbals, special diets, nutrition
4. Manual healing-manipulation methods
5. Energy field therapies
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Expanding horizons of healthcare. Five- year strategic plan http:// nccam.nih.gov /strategic /
Five (5) areas of CAM Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

Patients treated as individuals
CAM aims to find root of problem rather than treat symptoms
Traditional medicine has limitations
Especially for certain conditions, problems
Practitioner patient relationship is close
More than 50% of Canadians use some form
Women use CAM more than men
Why is CAM so popular? Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

Echinacea
Colds, flu
Gingko biloba
Memory, cerebral blood flow
Ephedra
Stimulates heart
St. John’s Wort
Depression
Chamomile
Relaxant, anti-anxiety
Most popular herbal supplements Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

Acupuncture
Biofeedback
Exercise programs
Hypnosis & hydrotherapies
Massage therapy
Manipulation or energy (ie. Reiki)
Prayer & spiritual activities
Other popular CAM therapies Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

CAM is a big issue in health
a wide range of therapies
Herbal/drug reactions - big problem
Safety is important first before use
‘ buyer beware’
Finding CAM evidence and information important
library technicians should know how to find | assess it
CAM for Library Technicians - Summary Dean Giustini, UBC health librarian & instructor | LIBR2195 July 2011

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CAM for library technicians: sources of information

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