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Americans spend $30.2 billion on CM

26 July 2016

Americans spent $30.2 billion―$28.3 billion for adults and $1.9 billion for children—out-of-pocket on complementary health approaches, according to a US nationwide survey.

These findings come from an analysis by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on data from a special supplement—on use of complementary health approaches—to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The NHIS is a large survey conducted annually by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. The analysis was published in National Health Statistics Reports.

The analysis showed that:

  •  About 59 million Americans age 4 or older had at least one out-of-pocket expenditure related to a complementary health approach―55.2 million adults and 4.1 million children (23.5 per cent and 7.1 per cent, respectively).
  • Americans spent $12.8 billion out-of-pocket on natural product supplements, which was about one-quarter (24 per cent) of what they spent out-of-pocket on prescription drugs ($54.1 billion). The mean annual out-of-pocket expenditure in this category was about $368.
  • Total spending on purchases related to self-care approaches (for example, homeopathic medicines and self-help materials, such as books or CDs, related to complementary health topics) was $2.7 billion, and the mean annual out-of-pocket expenditure per user was $257.

The survey showed that:

  • Americans spent $14.7 billion out-of-pocket on visits to complementary practitioners such as chiropractors, acupuncturists or massage therapists. That is almost 30 per cent of what they spent out-of-pocket on services by conventional physicians. They spent more on visits to complementary practitioners than on natural product supplements or self-care purchases, and the mean annual out-of-pocket expenditure for practitioner visits was $433.
  • Americans spent $12.8 billion out-of-pocket on natural product supplements, which was about one-quarter of what they spent out-of-pocket on prescription drugs. The mean annual out-of-pocket expenditure in this category was about $368.
  • Total spending on purchases related to self-care approaches (for example self-help materials, such as books or CDs, related to complementary health topics) was $2.7 billion, and the mean annual out-of-pocket expenditure per user was $257.

    >> Read the report

[ source: NCCIH ]