Persons with allergy symptoms use alternative medicine more often.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study is to indicate the relation between the use of alternative medicine and the occurrence of allergic diseases in the Polish population of adults in the age of 20-44 years. Moreover the additional aim of the study is to define the relation between the sex, age and place of living and the use of alternative medicine.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data from the project Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases in Poland (ECAP) has been used for analysis. This project was a continuation of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II. The questions on alternative medicine were asked to the group of 4671 respondents in the age of 20-44 years. Additionally outpatient tests were performed in order to confirm the diagnosis of allergic diseases.

RESULTS: The total of 22.2% of respondents that participated in the study have ever used alternative medicine (n = 4621). A statistically significant relation between the use of alternative medicine and declaration of allergic diseases and asthma symptoms has been demonstrated (p < 0.001). No statistically significant relation between the use of alternative medicine by persons diagnosed by a doctor with any form of asthma or seasonal allergic rhinitis (p > 0.05) has been demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of allergic diseases and asthma influences the frequency of alternative medicine use. However the frequency of alternative medicine use does not depend on allergic disease or asthma being confirmed by a doctor.