More Americans turning to alternative medicine.

More than a third of American adults used some type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)--including yoga, meditation, herbs, and the Atkins diet in 2002, according in a survey of 31,000 people by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When prayer specifically for health reasons is included in the definition of CAM, the number rises to 62%.

According to the survey, CAM approaches were most often used to treat back pain or problems, colds, neck pain or problems, joint pain or stiffness, and anxiety or depression. However, only about 12% of adults sought care from a licensed CAM practitioner, suggesting that most people who use CAM do so without consulting a practitioner. The survey also found that about 28% of adults used CAM because they believed conventional medical treatments would not help them with their health problem. And, 13% med CAM became they felt that conventional medicine was too expensive.

"These new findings confirm the extent to which Americans have turned to CAM approaches with the hope that they would help treat and prevent disease and enhance quality of life," said Stephen E Straus, MD, director, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in a press release. "The data not only assists us in understanding who is using CAM, what is being used, and why, but also in studying relationships between CAM use and other health characteristics, such as chronic health conditions, insurance coverage, and health behaviors."