Citation

Hildreth KD, Elman C. Sociol. Inq. 2007; 77(1): 76-103.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Alpha Kappa Delta, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1475-682X.2007.00178.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We use the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) database and an expanded Anderson model that incorporates health beliefs, including sacred worldviews as predisposing factors, to explore conventional and complementary and alternative medical (CAM) service use. Findings are that health care need, especially the number of chronic conditions is positively associated with both conventional and CAM services use. However, net of need, health beliefs and sacred worldviews differentiate CAM users versus nonusers or the number of different CAM practices that are used. Higher self-rated spirituality is associated with being a CAM user and, if a user, with adopting a wider range of practices. Individuals with higher self-rated religiosity are not more or less likely to be CAM users but adopt significantly fewer techniques, if users. We discuss the attraction to very different faces of health care, on the basis of religiosity, spirituality, and other health beliefs, with implications for policymakers and care providers.