Annals of Internal Medicine is published by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), an organization of more than 115,000 internal medicine physicians and medical students. The following highlights are not intended to substitute for articles as sources of information. For an embargoed fax of an article, call 1-800-523-1546, ext. 2656 or 215-351-2656.

Minorities receive fewer heart procedures --Researchers in Annals of Internal Medicine try to pinpoint why
(Review, p. 352; Article, p. 328. See release next page.)

People who use complementary and alternative medicine are not dissatisfied with conventional care

A national survey of adults who saw a medical doctor and/or used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the previous year reveals the porous boundaries between CAM and traditional medicine (Academia and Clinic, p. 344). Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed felt the combination of the two types of therapy was superior to either alone; 70 percent visited a medical doctor before or at the same time as seeing a CAM provider; between 77 and 81 percent had about the same level of confidence for a CAM provider as a medical doctor, and 63 to 72 percent did not tell their doctors they used at least one type of CAM therapy. Participants felt that CAM therapy was more helpful than conventional care for headaches and back and neck conditions and that conventional care was more helpful than CAM therapy for hypertension.

Study examines role of restricted activity among older people
--Editorial: Cutting Activity May Indicate Decline or "Just Having a Bad Day" (Article, p. 313; Editorial, p. 374.)

Minorities receive fewer heart procedures --Researchers in Annals of Internal Medicine try to pinpoint why

A review of research shows that African-American patients in the United States rec
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Contact: Penny Fuller
pfuller@mail.acponline.org
215-351-2656
American College of Physicians
3-Sep-2001