Further Together the ORAU Podcast

Further Together the ORAU Podcast


Episode 122: How and why women use complementary and alternative medicine

August 16, 2023

Use of complementary and alternative medicine, like acupuncture, chiropractic and more, is on the rise. As with most health care services, women tend to be the decision-makers when it comes to using CAM. Brenda Blunt, senior director of health policy, and Davyda Hammond, safety culture program manager, are investigating the experiences of women who use CAM, as well as how providers market to clients and how they see their role in healthcare. Their project is funded through the ORAU-Directed Research and Development program and they have partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University to conduct this research. In this conversation, Blunt, Hammond and host Michael Holtz discuss various aspects of their research, including the diversity of their outreach, the experiences women have with CAM providers, how women are willing to make economic sacrifices for CAM services, and what they've learned through their research.