Table 3 Use of TCAM (Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine) for HIV in the past six months (N = 618)
| Â | Â | Â | Use duration in weeks | Cost in Rand/month | Health care provider aware of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | n | % | M (SD) [range] | M (SD) [range] | n (%) |
Total TCAM use a | 317 | 51.3 | Â | Â | Â |
1. Herbal therapies | 183 | 29.6 | Â | Â | Â |
1a. Herbal therapies | 177 | 28.6 | 12.1 (9.0) [1–48] | 128 (189) [0–1000] | 18 (10.2) |
1b. Cannabis | 23 | 3.7 | 38.1 (37.5) [1–140] | 37.3 (90.5) [0–400] | 0 |
2. Religious healing | 217 | 35.1 | Â | Â | Â |
2a. Spiritual practices or prayer | 208 | 33.2 | 18.3 (10.1) [1–48] | 0 | 69 (39.2) |
2b. Faith healing methods | 78 | 12.4 | 9.7 (9.5) [1–42] | 24.4 (109.0) [0–500] | 9 (18.4) |
3. Physical/body-mind therapy | 47 | 7.5 | Â | Â | Â |
3a. Exercise | 29 | 4.6 | 12.6 (9.2) [1–28] | 1.1 (3.3) [0–10] | 8 (30.8) |
3b. Massage | 7 | 1.1 | 8.5 (10.9) [1–24] | 10.0 (17.3) [0–30] |  |
3c. Therapeutic touch | 6 | 1.0 | 10.0 (9.6) [2–24] | 0 |  |
3d. Meditation | 5 | 0.8 | 24.0 [24-24] | 0 | Â |
4. Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals & multivitamin) | 266 | 42.9 | 16.5 (9.3) [1–48] | 7.2 (69.1) [0–800] | 227 (85.3) |
5. Over-the-counter drugs | 77 | 12.5 | 5.1 (6.4) [1–21] | 4.3 (13.2) [1–99] | 7 (10.9) |