Use of Complementary and Integrative Therapies in Community Dwelling Older Women with Arthritis

Congratulations to Dr. Corjena Cheung who has received who has received funding via the National Insititues of Health-National Institues for Child Health and Human Development (NIH-NICHD) for her Pilot Study, "The use of Complementary/Integrative Therapy (C/IT) in community-dwelling older women with arthritis." The specific aims of Dr. Cheung's study are to understand:

1. the impact of arthritis on the lives of older women.
2. factors that affect their decision to use specific C/IT. C/IT is defined as health treatments or remedies that are outside of, or in combination with conventional medicine.
3. the perceived effectiveness of C/IT in managing arthritis.
4. the level of knowledge related to benefits and risks associated with C/IT use.

Arthritis is a common chronic disease among older women in the United States. Prognosis is uncertain, and, since there is no cure, arthritis treatment typically includes medication. Side effects from a long term pharmological approach are often a concern. Traditional quantitative research often falls short when trying to describe the impact of arthritis on the lives of individuals and the choices they made to manage their conditions. In Dr. Cheung's study, focus groups will be held to discuss and reflect on individuals' experiences with using C/IT to manage arthritis. Current research indicates that muscloskeletal problems and avoiding side effects from medications are common reasons for seeking C/IT. Dr. Cheung will collaborate with Megan Christine Gross, an undergraduate student research assistant, and Aimme Prasek, a graduate student research assistant.