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PREVENTIVE MEDICINE,
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE & THE
HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC
David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., FACPM, FACP
Ather Ali, N.D., M.P.H.
Commissioned for the IOM Summit on
Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public
February, 2009
The responsibility for the content of this paper rests with the authors and does not neces-
sarily represent the views or endorsement of the Institute of Medicine or its committees
and convening bodies. The paper is one of several commissioned by the Institute of
Medicine as background for the Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the
Public. Reflective of the varied range of issues and interpretations related to integrative
medicine, the papers developed represent a broad range of perspectives.
Katz and Ali
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ABSTRACT The fields of preventive medicine and public health share the objec-
tives of promoting general health, preventing specific diseases, and applying the
concepts and techniques of epidemiology toward these goals. The purview of pre-
ventive medicine as a discipline has traditionally been described to encompass
primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention levels. This paper explores the over-
lap and potential synergies of integrative medicine and preventive medicine in the
context of these levels of prevention, acknowledging the relative deficiency of re-
search on the effectiveness of practice-based integrative care.
The holistic approach of integrative medicine overcomes the traditional wall
of silence between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and conven-
tional practice, reducing the risk of adverse interactions or gaps in care. At the
level of primary prevention, an array of integrative modalities can be effective in
health promotion, including lifestyle counseling, dietary guidance, stress mitiga-
tion techniques, interventions to improve sleep quality, and use of nutriceuticals
and herbal supplements for health promotion. At the level of secondary preven-
tion, stress management and nutritional supplementation can reduce risk factors
for chronic disease. At the level of tertiary prevention, the full range of CAM mo-
dalities pertains to such goals as pain management, symptom control, stress re-
lief, disease management, and risk reduction. Integrative medicine offers
knowledgeable guidance to tailored therapies across the full spectrum of both
conventional and CAM practice, thereby providing any given patient more op-
tions—and more opportunities for success—in the pursuit of personal health. This
must be weighed against the inherent risks in making use of therapeutic practices
for which the scientific evidence base is often at best incomplete.
The goal of integrative medicine should be to make the widest array of appro-
priate options available to patients, ultimately blurring the boundaries between
conventional care and CAM. Both disciplines should be subject to rigorous scien-
tific inquiry so that interventions that work are systematically distinguished from
those that do not. The case is made that responsible use of science and respon-
siveness to the needs of patients that persist when the data from randomized con-
trolled trials have been exhausted can be reconciled. Integrative medicine is a
framework for this reconciliation, and practiced judiciously, offers the promise of
better patient outcomes.
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INTRODUCTION
Preventive Medicine
Preventive medicine encompasses both the care of individual patients, and
public health practice, and as is evident in the name, focuses on the prevention of
disease rather than treatment, per se. The fields of preventive medicine and public
health share the objectives of promoting general health, preventing specific dis-
eases, and applying the concepts and techniques of epidemiology toward these
goals.
While preventive medicine seeks to enhance the lives of individuals by help-
ing them improve their own health, public health attempts to promote health in
populations through the application of organized community efforts. Although
preventive medicine and public health are often discussed somewhat separately,
there is a seamless continuum among the following: the practice of preventive
medicine by physicians and other health professionals (clinical preventive ser-
vices); the attempts of individuals and families to promote their own health and
the health of loved ones; and the efforts of governments and voluntary agencies to
achieve the same health goals for populations. The dividing line between preven-
tive medicine and public health practice is thus far from distinct, as is that be-
tween prevention and treatment. The purview of preventive medicine as a
discipline has traditionally been described to encompass primary, secondary, and
tertiary prevention (so-called “Leavell’s levels”) (Jekel et al., 2007). Only the first
of these is nominally the exclusive purview of “preventive” as opposed to other
disciplines of medicine.
In the construct developed, or at least popularized, by Leavell (Leavell and
Clark, 1965), all physician and other health professional activities have the goal of
prevention. What is to be prevented depends on the context, and the patient’s po-
sition on the spectrum from health to disease. Primary prevention keeps the dis-
ease process from becoming established by eliminating causes of disease or
increasing resistance to disease. Secondary prevention interrupts the disease
process before it becomes symptomatic. Tertiary prevention limits the physical
and social consequences of symptomatic disease.
Primary Prevention and Predisease
Primary prevention refers to health promotion, which fosters wellness in gen-
eral and thus reduces the likelihood of disease, disability, and premature death in
a nonspecific manner, as well as specific protection against the inception of dis-
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ease. Examples of the former include the promotion of physical activity and pru-
dent dietary practices; smoking avoidance or cessation; and the mitigation of
stress. Immunization is a clear example of the latter.
Most noninfectious diseases can be seen as having an early stage, during
which the causal factors will start to produce physiologic abnormalities. In athero-
sclerosis, for example, there may be dyslipidmia and endothelial dysfunction
(Jiamsripong et al., 2008), but no overt signs of atheroma during the predisease
stage. The goal of a health intervention at this time is to modify risk factors in a
favorable direction. Life- modifying activities (e.g., changing to a diet low in satu-
rated and trans fat, pursuing a consistent program of aerobic exercise, and ceasing
to smoke cigarettes), are considered to be methods of primary prevention because
they are aimed at keeping the pathologic process and disease inception from oc-
curring.
Health promotion Health-promoting activities usually contribute to the
prevention of a variety of diseases as well as enhancing a positive feeling of
health and vitality. They consist of nonmedical interventions, such as changes in
lifestyle, nutrition, and the environment. Such activities may require structural
improvements in society to enable the majority of people to take part in them.
Structural improvements imply societal changes that make healthful choices
easier. For example, dietary modification may be difficult unless a variety of
wholesome, tasty and nutrient-rich foods are available in stores at a reasonable
cost. Exercise will be more difficult if bicycling or jogging is a risky activity
because of automobile traffic or the threat of violence. Even more basic to health
promotion is the assurance of the basic necessities of life, including freedom from
poverty, environmental pollution, and assault, suggesting the ties between
preventive medicine and public health. Principles of health promotion apply both
to noninfectious and infectious diseases.
Specific protection When the means are available, and/or when health-promoting
changes in environment, workplaces, and health-related behaviors are not fully
effective, methods of specific protection against a disease may be warranted. This
form of primary prevention is targeted at a specific disease or type of injury.
Examples include immunization against poliomyelitis; pharmacologic treatment
of hypertension to prevent subsequent end-organ damage; use of ear-protecting
devices in loud working environments, such as around jet airplanes; and use of
seat belts, air bags, and helmets to prevent bodily injuries in automobile and
motorcycle crashes. Some measures provide specific protection while also
contributing to the more general goal of health promotion. Fluoridation of water
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supplies, for example, not only helps to prevent dental caries, but is also a
nutritional intervention that promotes stronger bones and teeth.
Secondary Prevention and Latent Disease
Secondary prevention refers to the detection and management of presympto-
matic disease, and the prevention of its progression to symptomatic disease.
Screening is the dominant practice in this space, exemplified by cancer screening
(e.g., mammography, colonoscopy), and cardiac risk screening (e.g., lipid testing,
blood pressure screens). The margins between primary and secondary prevention
can at times blur, depending on definitions used for diseases, their risks, and their
antecedents. If hypertension is defined as a disease, its treatment is secondary
prevention; if defined as a risk factor for coronary disease that does not yet exist,
it is primary prevention.
Presymptomatic diagnosis and treatment through screening programs is re-
ferred to as secondary prevention, because it is the secondary line of defense
against disease. Although it does not prevent a root cause from initiating the dis-
ease process, it may delay or obviate progression to the symptomatic stage.
Tertiary Prevention and Symptomatic Disease
Tertiary prevention refers to the treatment of symptomatic disease in an effort
to prevent its progression to disability, or premature death. The overlap with
treatment is self-evident, and perhaps suggests that preventive medicine has gran-
diose territorial ambitions. Be that as it may, there is a legitimate focus on preven-
tion even after disease develops, such as the prevention of early cancer from
metastasizing, or the prevention of coronary disease from inducing a myocardial
infarction or heart failure. This domain also encompasses rehabilitation, the pur-
pose of which is to preserve or restore functional ability, and thus prevent its de-
generation. As with the other stages of prevention, the terminology here is subject
to interpretation at the margins. If coronary artery disease is the disease in ques-
tion, its treatment to prevent progression to myocardial infarction is tertiary pre-
vention; if myocardial infarction is the disease, then the treatment of coronary
atherosclerosis is secondary prevention. The net benefit to the patient of this en-
deavor pursued successfully is the same, of course, however the terminology is
applied.
Disability limitation describes medical and surgical measures aimed at cor-
recting the anatomic and physiologic components of disease in symptomatic pa-
tients. Most care provided by physicians meets this description. It may be
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considered prevention because its goal is to halt the disease process and thereby
prevent or limit resultant impairment or disability. An example is the surgical re-
moval of a tumor, which may prevent the spread of disease locally or by metasta-
sis to other sites.
Discussions about a patient’s disease may provide an opportunity (a “teach-
able moment”) to convince the patient to begin health promotion techniques de-
signed to delay disease progression (e.g., to begin exercising and improving the
diet and to stop smoking after a myocardial infarction). The use of interaction os-
tensibly dedicated to the treatment of established disease as an opportunity for
overall health promotion begins to suggest the potential interface between integra-
tive and preventive medicine.
Rehabilitation falls under the rubric of preventive medicine because it may
mitigate the effects of disease and thereby prevent some of the social and func-
tional disability that would otherwise occur. For example, a person who has been
injured or who has suffered a stroke may be taught how to care for him/herself in
the activities of daily living (e.g., feeding, bathing). This may enable him/her to
avoid the adverse sequelae associated with prolonged inactivity (e.g., increasing
muscle weakness).
By traditionally focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of disease, conven-
tional medical education and practice have tended to obscure the importance, sci-
entific basis, and clinical process of promoting the overall health of individuals.
Diagnosis and treatment of disease will always be important aspects of health
care, but increasing emphasis is also being placed on the preservation and en-
hancement of health. There are specialists who undertake research, teaching, and
clinical practice in the field of preventive medicine, but prevention is no more the
exclusive province of preventive medicine specialists than, for example, the care
of older people is limited to geriatricians. On the contrary, prevention should be
incorporated into the practice of all physicians and other health care professionals.
Expanding the medical model to encompass prevention as well as treatment of
active pathology shares much with the expansion of intervention modalities atten-
dant upon the transition from conventional to integrative care models.
Integrative Medicine
Integrative medicine, a term first introduced in the mid 1990s and now clearly
gaining adherents and traction, refers to the fusion—by various means, and to
varying degrees—of conventional medical practice and some of the practices that
fall under the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) rubric. Integrative
medicine thus offers, in theory at least, the opportunity to combine the “best” of
both conventional medicine and CAM, and thereby produce better patient out-
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comes, measured in terms of symptom relief, functional status, patient satisfac-
tion, and perhaps cost-effectiveness. Integrative medicine is necessarily “holistic”
in the sense that somatic, emotional, and spiritual health are considered integral to
overall health (Goldstein et al., 1988). These definitions are inherently problem-
atic; what exactly comprises spiritual health, or whether this is the appropriate
realm of the physician, is debated (Luster and Hines, 2005; Scheurich, 2003). Fur-
ther, holistic medicine proponents are accused of creating a forced dichotomy be-
tween holistic medicine incorporating CAM and “good conventional medicine.”
A rationale for integrative medicine depends largely on a rationale for CAM,
since CAM tends to be the limiting element in efforts to advance integrative care.
The health care system in the United States, and the associated reimbursement
mechanisms, are closely allied to conventional medical practices. The expansion
of integrative care models depends in part on establishing both a clinical and fi-
nancial case for CAM in conjunction with conventional medicine.
CAM is one among the numerous designations for diverse medical practices
not routinely taught in conventional medical schools (NCCAM, 2007a). Each of
the terms applied to such practices is limited or objectionable in some way. Alter-
native implies both that such practices are defined by what they are not and that
they are exclusive of conventional medical care. Complementary implies that such
practices are supplemental to mainstream medicine. The inconsistency in suggest-
ing that such practices are both alternative and complementary to conventional
care has been noted (Druss and Rosenheck, 1999; Katz, 2000). There is also ob-
jection to the label as it is an intrinsically somewhat pejorative designation, denot-
ing what it is by referring to what it is not; it is “complementary” or “alternative”
to something, and that something is the conventional medical practices that pre-
dominate.
Such challenges to the nomenclature notwithstanding, CAM is the most
widely used appellation, its primacy conveyed by its incorporation into the title of
the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alterna-
tive Medicine (NCCAM). NCCAM provides the following definition of the area
over which its management extends:
CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, prac-
tices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of
conventional medicine. Conventional medicine is medicine as
practiced by holders of MD (medical doctor) or DO (doctor of os-
teopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as
physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses.
NCCAM groups CAM practices into four domains, recognizing
there can be some overlap. In addition, NCCAM studies CAM
whole medical systems, which cut across all domains.
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1. Whole medical systems are built upon complete systems of
theory and practice. Often, these systems have evolved
apart from and earlier than the conventional medical ap-
proach used in the U.S.
2. Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed
to enhance the mind's capacity to affect bodily function and
symptoms. Biologically based practices in CAM use sub-
stances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins.
3. Manipulative and body-based practices in CAM are based
on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of
the body.
4. Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. Biofield
therapies are intended to affect energy fields that purport-
edly surround and penetrate the human body. Bioelectro-
magnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of
electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic
fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields
(NCCAM, 2007a).
This definition conveys something of the breadth of CAM, and by extension,
integrative medicine, and thus begins to suggest the expansive potential overlap
with preventive medicine. CAM practices encompass a broad range of approaches
to health care that include whole medical systems, such as naturopathic medicine,
chiropractic, homeopathy, world medical traditions such as traditional Chinese
medicine and Ayurveda, as well as specific techniques, such as acupuncture,
mind-body medicine, and massage. Traits widely shared by CAM approaches in-
clude an emphasis on the individualization of care, the devotion of time and atten-
tion to each patient, a reliance on or faith in the healing powers of the body, and a
preference for natural remedies. Other than these prevailing characteristics, CAM
is in fact an extremely heterogeneous array of practices, ranging from those well
supported by scientific evidence to those that defy any plausible scientific expla-
nation, and it is delivered by providers of widely diverse training and credentials
(Katz, et al., 2003a). Some self-professed CAM practitioners have no formal
training and are subject to no formal credentialing. At the other extreme, naturo-
pathic physicians require the same 4 years of postgraduate training for their ND
(Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine) degree as MDs do for theirs. The naturopathic
scope of practice is regulated by the states (Houghet al., 2001).
Some distinctions among medical disciplines are captured in their names.
Conventional medicine is often labeled as allopathic medicine, in which allo
means different from and path refers to disease. The mainstay of allopathic ther-
apy is to attack disease states with therapies that are unrelated to the condition
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being treated: treating by “the other.” By analogy, this approach douses fire with
water. In contrast, homeopathic medicine relies on treatments that supposedly in-
duce the same or similar (homeo) symptoms as those being addressed, with the
belief that the body will eradicate the disease by responding to minute doses of
the remedy. By analogy, homeopathy espouses to fight fire with fire. Of note, the
term allopathy was coined as a pejorative term by Samuel Hahnemann, the nine-
teenth-century German physician credited for founding homeopathy. Naturo-
pathic medicine obviously relies on natural treatments in its approach to
treatment and healing.
Interest in and use of CAM has remained constant in recent years (Barneset
al., 2008) after a rise in use between 1990 and 1997 (Eisenberg et al., 1998).
Nearly 40 percent of the adult population and 12 percent of children have used at
least one CAM therapy (Barneset al., 2008). Visits to CAM practitioners in 1997
exceeded visits to all primary care physicians (Eisenberg et al. 1998). The major-
ity of patients seek CAM approaches to complement rather than substitute for
conventional care most often for pain and chronic musculoskeletal conditions
(Barnes et al., 2008).
Particularly revealing about the popularity of CAM is the fact that the magni-
tude of the demand for these therapies continues despite the lack of insurance
coverage for such services in most instances. Americans spent an estimated $21.2
billion out-of-pocket for visits to alternative providers in 1997, an increase of 45
percent from 1990. The majority—58 percent—of those surveyed who used CAM
did so for disease prevention, whereas 42 percent used such services for actual
medical problems. The use of CAM is more prevalent among female, better-
educated, higher-income populations (Barnes et al., 2008; Eisenberg et al., 1998).
Although the use of CAM is greatest among people aged 50 to 59 years, use
among older patients between 60 to 69 years of age is nearly the same (44.1 per-
cent vs. 41.0 percent, respectively) (Barneset al., 2008) and is likely to increase
with the growing prevalence of chronic illnesses as populations age. The use of
CAM has been found to be especially high in patients with Alzheimer’s disease,
multiple sclerosis, rheumatic diseases, cancer, AIDS, back problems, anxiety, de-
pression, headaches, head colds, and chronic pain (Barnes et al., 2004; Astin,
1998). Several of these imply the intersection of CAM and the priorities of pre-
ventive medicine.
Predictors of CAM use include poorer health status, a holistic philosophical
orientation to health and life, a chronic health condition, classification in a cul-
tural group identifiable by its commitment to environmentalism or its commit-
ment to feminism, and an interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology
(Astin, 1998). Although research findings vary somewhat, common reasons that
people choose CAM include: an interest in combining conventional medicine with
CAM; dissatisfaction with the ability of conventional medicine to adequately treat
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chronic illnesses; a desire to avoid the harmful side effects of conventional medi-
cine and treatments; an interest in and greater knowledge of how nutritional, emo-
tional, and lifestyle factors affect health; and a broader focus on disease
prevention and overall health (Barnes et al., 2004; Eisenberg et al., 1998; Astin,
1998).
Thus, access to CAM modalities affords patients a greater opportunity to ob-
tain care that is consistent with their beliefs and preferences. The availability of
CAM treatments may therefore be considered an important means of patient em-
powerment. In this way, the provision of CAM options and a patient-centered ap-
proach to care may be seen as fundamentally interrelated.
Despite the significant increase in the use of CAM over recent decades, fewer
than 40 percent of alternative medicine users disclose such information to their
primary care provider, which reveals an important disconnect between the prefer-
ences of patients and their willingness to share these views with their doctors
(Eisenberg et al., 1993, 1998; Astin 1998; Elder et al., 1997; Feldman, 1990;
McKee, 1988). This important deficiency in provider-patient communication
(Elderet al., 1997; Feldman, 1990; McKee, 1988) may reflect patient dissatisfac-
tion with the conventional medical system (Astin, 1998), distrust, or simply an
accurate assessment of conventional providers’ receptivity.
There is widespread reticence about (if not outright opposition to) CAM prac-
tices among conventional physicians. Those most opposed argue that CAM thera-
pists do not have the extensive knowledge required to properly diagnose an
illness, and they often cite the lack of evidence of the efficacy of CAM (Astin,
1998). The latter is the most heatedly debated among ardent proponents of evi-
dence-based medicine, but the claim that conventional medicine is unfailingly
supported by scientific evidence is invalid, thus belying evidence as a reliable dis-
criminator between conventional practice and CAM.
A decade ago, the Office of Technology Assessment of the U.S. Congress es-
timated that fewer than 30 percent of the procedures currently used in mainstream
medicine had been rigorously tested (Dalen, 1999). One reason why most CAM
therapies are not robustly evidence based is that the majority were introduced
prior to the advent of the randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT)—now the
gold standard for examining clinical effectiveness. Such limitations are evident in
conventional medicine as well; however, they are often overlooked because of the
apparent or established effectiveness of a particular treatment. For example, the
common and accepted use of antithrombotic agents for cardiovascular diseases
and their complications (e.g., myocardial infarction, stroke, and pulmonary embo-
lism) supports this contention. Three of the agents prescribed by conventional
physicians for millions of patients every day—warfarin, aspirin, and heparin—
were introduced prior to the era of randomized clinical trials and therefore had not
been exposed to the rigorous research standards in effect today (Dalen, 1998).
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Few physicians would consider these drugs unconventional treatments, despite the
fact that they were not put through RCTs at the time they were introduced. Con-
versely, many CAM interventions are indeed supported by methodologically rig-
orous trials (Ornish et al., 1998; Perlman et al., 2006; Katz et al. 2003b).
Disparities in evidence between conventional and CAM practices do exist—and
are likely to persist—because of great discrepancies in the availability of funds to
support definitive clinical trials (Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development,
2008).
Thus, a case may be made for the responsible guidance of patients to CAM
therapies both on the basis of patient interest, and in accordance with the prevail-
ing standards of scientific evidence. Since this guidance should by no means sup-
plant conventional treatments, a de facto argument for integrative medicine
emerges: patients should receive expert guidance across the full expanse of avail-
able treatments and modalities that offer them the promise of better health.
The overlap of integrative medicine with preventive medicine is noteworthy.
At the level of primary prevention, an array of modalities vouchsafes a meaning-
ful contribution to health promotion. Minimally, these encompass lifestyle coun-
seling, dietary guidance, stress mitigation techniques, interventions to improve
sleep quality, and use of nutriceuticals and herbal supplements for health promo-
tion. At the level of secondary prevention, CAM modalities such as stress man-
agement and nutrient supplements for management of high blood pressure are
germane, as are interventions that facilitate use of conventional therapies for risk
attenuation; the use of coenzyme Q10 to mitigate myalgia associated with statin
use is an example (Marcoff and Thompson, 2007). At the level of tertiary preven-
tion, the full range of CAM modalities pertain to such goals as pain management,
symptom control, stress relief, disease management, and risk reduction. The fu-
sion of these modalities with conventional care is integrative medicine.
To some extent, a conventional medical system that has emphasized the diag-
nosis and treatment of disease with ever increasing degrees of specialization has
marginalized both preventive medicine, and the holistic view that is central to in-
tegrative medicine. The importance of disease prevention/health promotion is
gaining increasing recognition, due in part to economic forces molding the evolu-
tion of modern health care (McGinnis et al., 2002; Hu and Reuben, 2002;
Freeman et al., 2008). Integrative medicine offers the promise of more expansive
means to achieve the desired ends of preventive medicine, but also imposes the
challenges of assessing evidence across that broader expanse. There are, thus, pit-
falls to avoid in the pursuit of promise fulfilled.
This paper explores the overlap and potential synergies of integrative medi-
cine and preventive medicine, using the framework of Leavell’s levels of preven-
tion to lend structure and clarity to the exploration. Integrative medicine will be
seen to have much potential in the areas of primary and tertiary prevention, rather
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less in the middle terrain of secondary prevention. The current clinical opportuni-
ties associated with a more holistic approach to disease prevention are clear, while
the need for research to better define the most effective and economical models of
such care is compelling.
PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
The rationale for a holistic perspective in medical practice is compelling, par-
ticularly in the realm of health promotion and disease prevention. Many of the
underlying factors that most influence vulnerability to disease, disability, and
premature death are behaviors not routinely addressed in clinical encounters. The
importance of such factors (McGinnis and Foege, 1993; Mokdad et al., 2004)
highlights the importance of holism that is central to integrative medicine to dis-
ease prevention efforts.
Among the influences on population and individual health are a variety of ex-
ternal factors; some of these have been shown to affect health and disease to a
greater extent than individual aspects of health such as diet, physical activity, ge-
netic endowment, and preventive practices. Social determinants of health identi-
fied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include socioeconomic
status, transportation, housing, access to services, discrimination, and so-
cial/environmental stressors (CDC, 2008).
Environmental determinants are defined as external agents that can be caus-
ally linked to change in health status. As opposed to behavioral determinants, en-
vironmental determinants are characterized as involuntary. These include air and
water pollution, sunlight or the lack of it, environmental hazards, as well as im-
pacts of global climate change. Physical, social, and environmental determinants
of health are not mutually exclusive categories; there is considerable overlap
(Environmental Determinants of Health, 2002).
Socioeconomic status has been shown to be a strong predictor of both individ-
ual and population health (Antonovsky, 1968; Kitagawa and Hauser, 1973). Per-
sons at the highest levels of socioeconomic status, characterized by the most
prestigious occupations, highest educational attainment, ample financial savings,
and comfortable housing enjoy the longest lifespans with the highest levels of
health status, by most measures (Adler and Stewart, 2007). The relative risk of
premature death is 3 times higher in persons at the lowest levels of income as
compared to those of middle income, while those at middle levels experience 2
times the rate of premature death as those at the highest. The prevalence of
chronic disease, infectious disease, asthma, disabilities, injury, and physical inac-
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13
tivity are all inversely correlated with socioeconomic status (Adler and Stewart,
2007).
Clearly related to socioeconomic status is the impact of race; ethnic and racial
minorities tend to populate lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder, though race
in and of itself is a predictor of lower health outcomes. For example, when adjust-
ing for other aspects of socioeconomic status, African Americans are found to
have worse health outcomes, including infant mortality, than those of other racial
categories, often interpreted as the impact of structural and individual racial dis-
crimination on health. In health care settings, African Americans tend to receive
less preventive services and life-saving treatments as compared to whites (Jha et
al., 2003; Adler and Stewart, 2007).
Also associated with socioeconomic status in both distribution and impact on
health are neighborhood factors such as availability of parks and recreation areas,
stores that stock fruits and vegetables, safe streets, lighting, and access to libraries
and cultural events. Directly, aspects of air, weather, and soil pollution present in
neighborhoods can impose adverse health effects, such as developmental delays,
and respiratory illnesses (Adler and Stewart, 2007). Other aspects of the built en-
vironment, such as availability of parks and walkways, can influence the devel-
opment of asthma, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (Adler and
Stewart, 2007; Papas et al., 2007).
The inability to access adequate health care, often precipitated by lack of
health insurance, is also correlated with socioeconomic status and influences indi-
vidual and population health. The U.S. is the only developed nation to lack a na-
tionalized health plan; over 45 million Americans were without health insurance
in the year 2006 (Adler and Stewart, 2007). Persons without insurance tend to de-
lay and forego health care at earlier stages of disease resulting in initial contact
with the health care system at a stage of more severe disease. Furthermore, this
delayed health care is often substandard when compared to the fully insured. Pre-
ventive care, including screening, is often missed resulting in a higher prevalence
of infectious and chronic disease (Freeman et al., 2008).
Work-related factors, such as exposure to physical hazards and chemicals for
those in blue-collar occupations and mental/social stress in white-collar occupa-
tions also influence health status. The National Academy of Social Insurance es-
timated the impact of work-related problems to total $55 billion in the year 2000,
directly attributable to the cost of insurance claims, work replacement, and lost
productivity. Indirect costs, such as retraining, turnover, and lack of productivity
in an unstable workplace are estimated to double or triple this sum (Adler and
Stewart, 2007).
Though the impact of social and environmental factors cannot be overempha-
sized, clinical medicine has limited capacity to address them, although public
health practice potentially has considerably more. Rather, these factors can be
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14
considered as influences on health, and appropriate interventions can be tailored
in response to them.
Stress and Emotional Impact on Health
Integrative medicine emphasizes the centrality of psychological stress and its
impact on overall health (Snyderman and Weil, 2002). The evidence is robust and
clear; psychological stress leads to poorer health outcomes— encompassing infec-
tious and chronic disease, morbidity and mortality, developing illness, and recov-
ery.
Higher levels of acute and chronic stress are associated with depressed im-
mune function resulting in greater frequency of infectious disease (Brosschot et
al., 1994; Lutgendorf and Costanzo, 2003). Furthermore, wound healing is com-
promised in highly stressed individuals (Christian et al., 2006). Perceived stress
decreases as income and socioeconomic status increases (Adler and Stewart,
2007). Chronic stress and depression are associated with type 2 diabetes, cardio-
vascular disease, and stroke, mediated through hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis dysfunction resulting in abnormal cortisol levels (Rosmond and
Bjorntorp, 2000). HPA axis dysfunction is also associated with visceral and ab-
dominal obesity (Nieuwenhuizen and Rutters, 2008; Pasquali et al., 2006).
Those who have suffered from childhood abuse have greater odds of self-
destructive health behaviors in the future, including smoking, severe obesity, lack
of physical activity, increased depression, and suicidal attempts (Whitfield, 1998).
Childhood abuse is associated with higher levels of the inflammatory marker C-
reactive protein (Danese et al., 2007, 2008), increasing the risk of cardiovascular
disease (Ridker and Silvertown, 2008), type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers (Nanri
et al., 2007). Rape (Ciccone et al., 2005) and sexual abuse (Boisset-Pioro et al.,
1995) are associated with the development of fibromyalgia, while childhood
abuse predicts more severe forms of fibromyalgia (McBeth et al., 1999).
Personality and disposition also predict health-related outcomes. Higher levels
of anger are associated with worse cardiac outcomes, including a 2- to 3-fold in-
crease in the risk of development of angina, acute myocardial infarction, or sud-
den cardiac death, with evidence for a dose-response relationship (Kawachi et al.,
1996; Chang et al., 2002). The “disease prone personality” includes anger, hostil-
ity, anxiety, and depression and has been shown to predict, with varying degrees
of association, a variety of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease,
asthma, peptic ulcer, and arthritis include (Friedman and Booth-Kewley, 1987).
Psychological states can also be beneficial; the presence of “positive emo-
tions” has been shown to predict better health and health outcomes (Ryff et al.,
2004). Optimistic patients have reduced all-cause mortality as compared to
Katz and Ali
15
nonoptimists; mostly related to the prevention of cardiovascular mortality (Giltay
et al., 2004). Personality aspects such as commitment to self, an attitude of con-
cern for the environment, a sense of meaningfulness, and an internal locus of con-
trol are all associated with decreased illness in high-stress environments (Kobasa,
1979).
Intimate relationships, close friendships, and sense of community all predict
more favorable health outcomes in a variety of conditions, from development of
the common cold to cancer survivorship. Those with a sense of belonging and in-
timacy have more pronounced recovery from myocardial infarction, surgery, and
cancer (Ornish 1998).
Integrative medicine offers a framework that incorporates psycho-emotional
factors as integral to overall health. These factors are routinely overlooked in
conventional clinical practice and conventional medical education (Roter et al.,
1995; Kligler et al., 2004; Abbo et al., 2008; Teutsch, 2003). Thus, integrative
medicine offers a means to enhance the practice and modify the goals of preven-
tive medicine through patient-centered, holistic care incorporating mind-body
therapies.
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE ACROSS THE
PREVENTION SPECTRUM
Integrative medicine has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality by
various means, particularly through a strong emphasis on prevention and behavior
change, as well as considering stress reduction an integral part of treatment. As
behavioral and lifestyle choices account for the majority of premature mortality in
the U.S., targeting these areas can potentially provide the greatest benefit.
In the year 2000, the leading cause of death in the U.S. was tobacco use,
which resulted in some 435,000 deaths, or 18.1 percent of total deaths. Closely
following was diet and lack of physical activity resulting in 365,000 deaths (15.2
percent of total). Other behaviors resulting in substantial premature deaths include
alcohol consumption, firearm accidents, sexual behavior, and illicit drugs
(Mokdad et al., 2004).
In the following sections, we discuss the potential for integrative medicine
across the prevention spectrum. Much of the data exist in the preventive medicine
literature, distinct from the integrative or CAM literature. By and large, the effi-
cacy of integrative medicine in health promotion or disease prevention has not
been tested; data derived from direct tests of integrative care models are not avail-
able. There is, however, a clear case to be made for the importance of a holistic
approach to health, and for the opportunities provided by integrative care to adopt
that holistic approach though the incorporation of CAM therapies and providers.
Katz and Ali
16
Thus, a persuasive argument for the melding of integrative and preventive care
may be constructed by stringing together data that are available. In the following
sections, we will distinguish between research data and informed speculation,
both of which subtend the basic argument.
Integrative Medicine In Primary Prevention
Primary prevention keeps the disease process from becoming es-
tablished by eliminating causes of disease or by increasing resis-
tance to disease. Health promotion through promotion of healthy
lifestyle, nutrition, and environment is emphasized (Jekel et al.,
2007).
Among the means to promote lifestyle change is modeling healthy behavior,
notably diet and physical activity. Physicians that practice healthy behaviors tend
to emphasize these behaviors in patient care; consequently, patients of these phy-
sicians generally receive stronger, more pronounced, and more specific advice
regarding lifestyle change. Physicians who exercise regularly are more likely to
counsel their patients to do so; nonsmokers are more likely to emphasize the risks
of smoking (Frank and Kunovich-Frieze, 1995). Furthermore, physicians who
tend to emphasize healthy habits in their patients often feel that they should be
role models in healthy lifestyle habits (Maheux et al., 1989).
A number of CAM organizations and professions encourage members to
model healthy lifestyle behaviors including the American Holistic Medical Asso-
ciation (Goldstein et al., 1988) and the American Association of Naturopathic
Physicians (Hough et al., 2001). Among some CAM professional educational in-
stitutions, a culture of wellness exists, where healthy food choices are readily (if
not exclusively) available and faculty model healthy behaviors.
Furthermore, a number of CAM whole systems consider dietary habits and
therapeutic nutrition as a cornerstone of health, namely Traditional Chinese
Medicine (Kaptchuk, 2000), Ayurveda (NCCAM, 2008; Chopra and Doiphode,
2002), and naturopathy (Hough et al., 2001; NCCAM, 2007b). Many of their rec-
ommendations are consistent with current mainstream dietary recommendations
for chronic disease prevention; though some traditional recommendations con-
flict. Nevertheless, the emphasis of food as a primary basis of health conforms
well to the objectives of primary prevention.
Novel approaches to addiction and smoking cessation also have the potential
to improve public health. The most salient example is of a simple acupuncture
protocol, initially incorporated in a substance abuse program to replace metha-
done treatment at Lincoln Hospital in New York City (Faass, 2001). This ap-
proach has now expanded to over 1,500 clinical locations nationally, and is
Katz and Ali
17
associated with a formal training program for health care professionals (Margolin
et al., 2005). Other CAM approaches used for treating addictions include mind-
body therapies, yoga, and herbal products (Sood et al., 2006), though scant data
exist regarding the efficacy of these interventions.
Certain lifestyle aspects, namely digestive function and sleep, both impact risk
of acute and chronic disease and are generally more emphasized by integrative
and CAM practitioners than conventional primary care providers (Hough et al.,
2001; Weil, 2000). The consumption of dietary fiber is associated with reductions
in risk for cardiovascular disease (Retelny et al., 2008), certain cancers
(Mulholland et al., 2008; Anand et al., 2008), reduced body weight (van Dam and
Seidell, 2007), and lower all-cause mortality (Papanikolaou and Fulgoni, 2008).
Dietary fiber consumption is also associated with reduced intestinal transit time
(Hillemeier, 1995) and improved bowel function. This is synonymous with “di-
gestive health” that is emphasized in a number of CAM systems, including func-
tional medicine (Jones, 2008), Ayurveda (Chopra and Doiphode, 2002; NCCAM,
2008), naturopathy (Hough et al., 2001; NCCAM, 2007b), and traditional Chinese
medicine (Kaptchuk 2000).
Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with hypertension, myocardial infarc-
tion, heart failure, stroke, obesity, psychiatric problems, attention deficit disorder,
mental impairment, fetal and childhood growth retardation, accidental injury, and
overall poor quality of life (Melamed and Oksenberg, 2002; Leger, 1994). In ani-
mal models, sleep deprivation has been shown to increase aggression, impair cog-
nitive function, as well as impact neural cytokine levels, oxidative stress markers,
and brain glycogen levels (McEwen, 2007). Abnormally short or long sleep dura-
tion is associated with metabolic syndrome (Hall et al., 2008), a prediabetic state.
Short sleep duration is associated with abdominal obesity, elevated fasting glu-
cose, and hypertriglyceridemia, all components of the metabolic syndrome. Short
sleep duration is also associated with obesity, most likely mediated by a disrup-
tion of appetite control, resulting in reduced levels of the satiety factor leptin and
increasing the hunger-promoting hormone ghrelin (Schmid et al., 2008).
Integrative medicine tends to emphasize the importance of restful sleep; inte-
grative clinical encounters often discuss sleep quality in the context of health
promotion and disease prevention (Rakel, 2007). A number of CAM therapies are
commonly used to treat sleep disturbances including melatonin, valerian, yoga,
meditation, acupuncture, and tai chi. Most have been shown to be safe with pre-
liminary evidence of efficacy (Gooneratne, 2008; Winbush et al., 2007; Buscemi
et al., 2004). The adverse effects of poor sleep habits can also be mitigated with
positive social relationships (Friedman et al., 2005), emphasized in holistic medi-
cine (Ornish, 1998).
The emphasis on emotional and psychological well being as an integral aspect
of health in most traditional medical systems and many CAM approaches also
Katz and Ali
18
adds to the potential value of integrative medicine in primary prevention (Rakel,
2007). The mainstreaming of a number of concepts of mind-body medicine re-
flects the quality and quantity of scientific studies supporting the basic supposi-
tions of internal harmony and balance in traditional systems of medicine. A
number of formalized training programs in mind-body medicine have flourished
in academic medical centers in the past few decades (MGH, 2008; Shapiro et al.,
2008).
Based on the wide array of therapies available and preliminary evidence of
safety and efficacy, there is immense potential for integrative medicine in primary
prevention. However, no research has been conducted on integrative medicine
practices or practitioners on the uptake of, adherence to, or outcomes of preven-
tive care. Claims that the appropriate and proactive use of integrative medicine
services will result in public health benefits as well as overall cost savings are
premature. Many barriers exist to foundational and critical research in this arena;
lack of funding (NCCAM, 2005; Tufts Center for the Study of Drug
Development, 2008) being paramount. Well-constructed outcomes research on
whole-practice systems already operational in the integrative medicine arena are
clearly warranted. Initial emphasis should be placed on integrative medicine mod-
els that stress evidence-based care, and where credentialing and training are most
stringent, including naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, nutritional
and herbal medicine, mind-body interventions, and therapeutic massage (Katz and
Ali, 2008). While the overlap between integrative medicine and primary preven-
tive practices is both clear and compelling, the degree to which integrative care
models can advance the objectives of primary prevention remains to be formally
proved.
Secondary Prevention and Integrative Medicine
Secondary prevention interrupts the disease process before it be-
comes symptomatic. Screening, case finding, and appropriate
treatment are secondary prevention interventions (Jekel et al.,
2007).
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), first convened by the
U.S. Public Health Service in 1984, and since 1998 sponsored by the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), analyzes and assesses the evidence for
preventive interventions, including screening, counseling, and preventive medica-
tion (AHRQ, 2008). The USPSTF recommendations (see Table 1) are considered
the gold standard in preventive medicine.
Katz and Ali
19
TABLE 1 Examples of USPSTF Screening Recommendations
Condition Recommendation Grade*
Breast cancer Screening mammography, with or without clinical breast
examination (CBE), every 1-2 years for women aged 40
and older
B
Colorectal cancer Screening for colorectal cancer using fecal occult blood
testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy, in adults, begin-
ning at age 50 years and continuing until age 75 years.
A
Hypertension Screening for high blood pressure in adults aged 18 and
older.
A
Hepatitis B Virus Screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pregnant
women at their first prenatal visit
A
Type II diabetes Screeing for type 2 diabetes in asymptomatic adults with
sustained blood pressue (either treated or untreated) greater
than 135/80 mm Hg.
B
Glaucoma Insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening
adults for glaucoma.
I
COPD Recommends against screening adults for chronic obstruc-
tive pulmonary disease (COPD) using spirometry.
D
NOTES: Definitions of USPSTF Grades
A. The USPSTF recommends the service. There is high certainty that the net benefit is substantial.
B. The USPSTF recommends the service. There is high certainty that the net benefit is moderate or there is
moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial.
C. The USPSTF recommends against routinely providing the service. There may be considerations that sup-
port providing the service in an individual patient. There is at least moderate certainty that the net benefit is
small.
D. The USPSTF recommends against the service. There is moderate or high certainty that the service has no
net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits.
I The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms
of the service. Evidence is lacking, of poor quality, or conflicting, and the balance of benefits and harms can-
not be determined.
SOURCE: AHRQ, 2008
Integrative medicine has the potential to improve rates of screening and up-
take of preventive services through an emphasis on a strong therapeutic alliance,
prevention, teaching, and holistic care (Snyderman and Weil, 2002). Nationally,
screening rates for preventive services are considerably lower than ideal
(Maciosek et al., 2006); much of the blame can be placed on lack of emphasis and
training in health promotion and disease prevention as well as the burdens of a
health care system that constrains primary care visits to an average of 30 minutes
annually (Bindman et al., 2007). Abbreviated primary care encounters, coupled
with barriers to access, tend to compromise continuity of care as well. Further-
more, a substantial proportion of patients seeking integrative medicine or CAM
tend to be skeptical of preventive interventions, especially vaccination (Benin et
al., 2006; Stokley et al., 2008). Promotion of preventive interventions by integra-
Katz and Ali
20
tive practitioners demonstrating a sympathetic understanding of patients’ concerns
could improve uptake rates.
In addition to increasing screening rates and utilization of preventive services,
integrative medicine has the potential to modify secondary prevention efforts for
chronic diseases with strong diet and lifestyle associations, namely cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Many CAM therapies have demonstrated
preliminary efficacy in treating early disease or risk factors such as improving
lipid profiles (Nies et al., 2006), reducing inflammation (Rakel and Rindfleisch,
2005), controlling serum glucose (Yeh et al., 2003), and reducing blood pressure
(Yeh et al., 2006; Ali et al., Bracken, 2007). By using these in combination with
comprehensive lifestyle change, mind-body medicine interventions, and USPSTF
recommendations with a strong therapeutic alliance, the potential to improve out-
comes rationally follows. In certain instances, an integrative approach can be used
to enhance adherence with conventional therapies, such as use of the following:
• Nutritional supplement coenzyme Q10 to reduce statin-induced myopathy
(Marcoff and Thompson, 2007) and anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity
(Conklin, 2005),
• Probiotics to reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea (McFarland, 2006;
Johnston et al., 2007),
• Licorice and its derivatives to potentiate the effects of cortisone
(Teelucksingh et al., 1990) and reduce nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drug (NSAID)-associated gastropathy (Russell et al., 1984), and
• Glutamine to reduce adverse effects of chemotherapy, including mucositis,
neuropathy, diarrhea, and cardiotoxicity (Savarese et al., 2003).
Tertiary Prevention and Integrative Medicine
Tertiary prevention limits the physical and social consequences of
symptomatic disease. Disability limitation and rehabilitation are
tertiary prevention interventions (Jekel et al., 2007).
The goals of tertiary prevention are advanced when symptoms are controlled,
disease progression is forestalled, and/or functional capacity is preserved, re-
stored, or optimized. Among the strengths of integrative medicine practitioners
are symptom control—even when disease etiology and pathophysiology are
vague—and an emphasis on the diverse factors that influence quality of life. The
overlap of integrative medicine with preventive medicine is thus especially note-
worthy in the realm of tertiary prevention.
Conditions characterized by medically unexplained symptoms, also known as
somatoform disorders, including chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowl syn-
Katz and Ali
21
drome, fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme disease, and chronic unexplained pain
(Hatcher and Arroll, 2008), are often complicated by concurrent psychological
distress and strong emotions (McEwen, 2007). Conventional care for patients suf-
fering from these conditions is often frustrating, usually resulting in extensive and
expensive diagnostic workups and significant iatrogenic complication rates
(Smith et al., 2003; Ring et al., 2005). Furthermore, the psycho-emotional distur-
bances that are prevalent in this population (Ring et al., 2005) may be invoked to
explain symptoms, but are often overlooked in efforts to alleviate them.
Patients with medically unexplained symptoms comprise a significant propor-
tion of outpatient care; at least 13 percent of outpatient visits are attributable to
medically unexplained symptoms (Ring et al., 2005; van der Weijden et al.,
2003). Patients with these conditions often seek out CAM therapies and providers
(Barnes et al., 2008; Lind et al., 2007; Vlieger et al., 2008). Integrative medicine
offers a patient-centered approach, providing treatment options outside of the
mainstream that have demonstrated some efficacy in the treatment of medically
unexplained symptoms (Sarac and Gur, 2006; Jones et al., 2007). Furthermore,
the holistic nature of integrative care with a mind-body emphasis often results in
treatment plans incorporating psychological and somatic therapies (Rakel, 2007;
Goldstein et al., 1988).
A number of comprehensive nutritional and lifestyle programs have demon-
strated efficacy in tertiary prevention efforts. While some elements of such pro-
grams have now arguably been conventionalized, such as basic dietary guidance,
the blending of lifestyle, medication, supplements, and mind-body intervention is
certainly suggestive, if not diagnostic, of integrative care.
The Diabetes Prevention Program, incorporating a heart-healthy diet with
regular exercise and lifestyle coaching demonstrated that a lifestyle approach can
double the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in the prevention of type 2 diabetes in
patients at high risk (Knowler et al., 2002). The Lyon Diet Heart Study demon-
strated that a Mediterranean-style diet reduced coronary heart disease reoccur-
rence by 50 to 70 percent (Kris-Etherton et al., 2001), while Jenkins’ Dietary
Portfolio has been shown to be as efficacious as low-dose statins in the reduction
of LDL cholesterol and C-reactive protein (Jenkins et al., 2006). The Ornish Life-
style Heart Program includes a low-fat vegetarian diet coupled with yoga, medita-
tion, exercise, and smoking cessation has been shown to reverse coronary
atherosclerosis (Pischke et al., 2008; Ornish et al., 1990). Clinical and cost-
effectiveness of this program is currently being assessed (see Box 1). A combina-
tion of lifestyle change, fish oil, and red yeast rice demonstrated efficacy compa-
rable to simvastatin in reducing LDL cholesterol, and stronger effects in reducing
triglycerides and weight (Becker et al., 2008). As noted, elements of these pro-
grams are in many cases now mainstream and not exclusively in the province of
integrative medicine. However, integrative medicine strongly emphasizes and
Katz and Ali
22
promotes nutritional approaches to chronic disease (Rakel, 2007; Goldstein et al.,
1988) and the comprehensive lifestyle approach of these interventions (Bindman
et al., 2007). Thus, integrative medicine is potentially a vehicle to carry such prac-
tices into a larger proportion of patient encounters.
Integrative therapies for the treatment of chronic disease can improve func-
tionality, reduce morbidity, improve quality of life, and directly influence disease
processes. The quality of evidence for CAM therapies is mixed for treating
chronic conditions with significant public health impact (NCCDPHP 2008). Nu-
tritional supplements such as fish oil (Hartweg et al., 2008), chromium (Balk et
al., 2007), alpha-lipoic acid (Singh and Jialal, 2008), herbal medicines (Bradley et
al., 2007), and mind-body techniques (Kligler, 2004) have been used to treat type
2 diabetes mellitus. Hyperlipidemia can be treated with therapeutic diets consist-
ing of functional foods (Becker et al., 2008; Jenkins et al., 2006), nutritional sup-
plements, and herbal medicines (Nies et al., 2006). Manual therapies such as
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Katz and Ali
23
massage can be useful for osteoarthritis (Perlman et al., 2006), as well as acu-
puncture (Berman et al., 2004), nutritional, and herbal supplements (Ernst, 2006).
An anti-inflammatory diet (Adam et al., 2003), nutritional supplements, manual
therapies, and other CAM therapies have shown promise in the management of
rheumatoid arthritis (Rakel, 2007).
The public health impact of obesity and its related sequeale is unparalleled in
the U.S., while the prevalence is quickly rising throughout the rest of the world
(Kelly et al., 2008). Over two-thirds of the U.S. adult population—some 130 mil-
lion people—is overweight or obese (Ogden et al., 2006). Obesity increases all-
cause mortality (Calle et al., 1999), as well as risk of hypertension, Hypercholes-
terolemia, and type II diabetes mellitus (Must et al., 1999). Obese persons have a
lower overall life expectancy compared to the nonobese (Peeters et al., 2003).
Over 300,000 deaths per year are attributable to obesity (Mokdad et al,. 2004); the
impact so great on populations that it reverses the 200-year trend of increasing life
expectancy (Olshansky et al., 2005). Competing dietary strategies for weight loss
have been proposed demonstrating varying levels of efficacy (Dansinger et al.,
2005; Bravata et al., 2003; Shai et al., 2008). It is generally believed that a multi-
faceted approach is optimal including dietary, lifestyle, and environmental inter-
ventions (Poston and Foreyt, 2000). Integrative medicine has the potential to add
to obesity prevention and control efforts by emphasizing nutrition, stress reduc-
tion, and exercise (Bradley and Oberg, 2006), though specific CAM therapies
used for weight loss remain largely untested (Cherniack, 2008).
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programs are an example of a tertiary
prevention program with demonstrated efficacy for patients with coronary heart
disease. Cardiac rehabilitation programs reduce all-cause and cardiac mortality
and improve left ventricular ejection fraction (Giannuzzi et al., 1997), total cho-
lesterol, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure (Taylor et al., 2004). Depressed
patients experience higher levels of mortality following cardiac events; those who
complete rehabilitation programs improve both in depressive symptoms and the
related increase risk of mortality (Milani and Lavie, 2007). One trial demonstrated
improvements comparable to exercise training in depressive symptoms, endothe-
lial function, and ejection fraction with stress management programs in patients
with ischemic heart disease (Blumenthal et al., 2005), though the additive effects
have not been studied. It is thought that much of the benefits of cardiac rehabilita-
tion arise through improvements in blood pressure, lipid profile, endothelial func-
tion, and inflammation (Milani et al., 2004). A diverse array of integrative
therapies can assist with these mediators (Rakel, 2007); it follows that cardiac re-
habilitation efforts may be bolstered through standard exercise training, coupled
with integrative mainstays of mind-body therapies, anti-inflammatory diets
(Adam et al., 2003), and prudent use of nutritional and herbal supplements (Harris
et al., 2008). Research in this area is particularly warranted.
Katz and Ali
24
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! >!731(!I(/()+*3)+3*!+*!'+,!7+;![E,!9)(,(*/(;!J+/'!9(),+,/(*/!3K;57+*31!93+*!.5)!/(*!0(3),!.5115JA
+*6!3*!(L915)3/5)0! 1393)5/570H!&'(!93+*C!3//)+K:/(;!/5! ,:)6+831! 3;'(,+5*,C! '3;!K((*!3,,(,,(;!3*;!
/)(3/(;!K0!6(*()31!,:)6(5*,C!3*(,/'(,+5156+,/,C!*(:)5156+,/,C!3*;!3/!1(3,/!5*(!,9(8+31+X(;!93+*!8(*A
/()H!&'(!93+*!9(),+,/(;C!3*;!/'(!93/+(*/!73*36(;!+/!J+/'!,'5)/!38/+*6!*3)85/+8,!/3M(*!;3+10H!
!
! R'(*!(I31:3/(;!.)57! 3!,1+6'/10!75)(!'51+,/+8!9(),9(8/+I(C!/'(!+795)/3*8(!5.!,1((9!;(9)+I3/+5*!/5!
/'(!93/+(*/@,!93+*!K(837(!81(3)H!2(!J3,!9138(;!5*!15*6A38/+*6!*3)85/+8,!/'3/!;+;!*5/!J(3)!5..! +*! 3!
,'5)/()!/'3*!*5)731!,1((9! 8081(C! 3*;! '(! ,1(9/! /')5:6'!/'(!*+6'/!.5)!/'(! .+),/! /+7(! +*! 0(3),H!2+,!93+*!
,:K,+;(;!85*,+;()3K10H!
!
! >!85:),(! 5.! 38:9:*8/:)(! J3,! +*+/+3/(;C!3*;! 5I()! 3!,93*!5.! D! 75*/',! /'(! *3)85/+8!;5,(! J3,! /3A
9()(;H!>./()!O! J((M,C!/'(!93/+(*/!J3,!5..! *3)85/+8,!3*;!93+*!.)((C! K5/'! .5)!/'(!.+),/!/+7(!+*!0(3),H!>!
85:),(!5.!'57(593/'0! .5115J(;!38:9:*8/:)(C!3*;!+,!:,(;!/5!/'+,!;30!.5)!73+*/(*3*8(H! >/! 13,/!85*A
/38/C!/'(!93/+(*/!J3,!93+*!.)((!.5)!W!0(3),!:,+*6!'57(593/'0!5*10C!.5115J+*6!%E!0(3),!5.!:*)(7+//+*6!
93+*!9)+5)!/5!'+,!(*85:*/()!J+/'!+*/(6)3/+I(!83)(H!2(!85*/+*:(,!/5!9)38/+8(!I(/()+*3)0!7(;+8+*(
H!
Other rehabilitation programs—injury and stroke recovery—may benefit from
integrative therapies that improve functionality, from pain control using acupunc-
ture and massage, postsurgical and other types of wound healing enhanced with
nutritional supplementation and herbal medicine (Rahm and Labovitz, 2007;
Leach, 2004), to increased energy through use of adaptogenic herbs (Rakel,
2007).
Finally, tertiary prevention strategies deployed in an integrative manner may
be a prerequisite to primary prevention. For example, patients with ineffectively
managed chronic pain creating a barrier to physical activity can begin to benefit
from simple preventive lifestyle measures that can, in turn, help prevent other
chronic disease. Both obesity and chronic pain share a multifactoral etiology with
no simple solutions, necessitating a holistic therapeutic approach. It is estimated
that 70 million persons in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain (Rosenblum et al.,
2003) costing between $15,000-$24,000 per patient annually when taking into
account lost wages and social support (Latham and Davis, 1994). Pain is the most
common chief complaint in patients visiting primary care physicians (Sullivan et
al., 1991). Conventional therapies such as NSAIDS, opioids, and antidepressants
are not always effective, and may result in dependence and/or adverse effects
(Benyamin et al., 2008).
Limited data exist to support the idea of improved pain control with a combi-
nation of conventional and CAM therapies, though CAM and integrative practi-
tioners claim particular success in this area. CAM therapies for pain control vary
in demonstrated efficacy, spanning mind-body therapies such as meditation and
biofeedback (Morone and Greco, 2007), to acupuncture, yoga, hypnosis, chiro-
practic, nutritional interventions (Ali et al., 2009), herbal medicines, massage
(Perlman et al., 2006), or combinations thereof (Little et al., 2008). The judicious
combination of a myriad of CAM techniques with pharmacotherapy is in the
Katz and Ali
25
realm of integrative medicine, where an understanding of evidence-based, diverse
treatment options is coupled with a patient-centered, holistic orientation can in-
crease the likelihood of safe and effective treatment.
DISCUSSION
With patients increasingly interested in CAM and conventional practitioners
often uninformed and/or reticent, a system of unintegrated or, worse, disintegrated
health care prevails in the U.S. Many conventional physicians actively discourage
the use of CAM wholesale, without considering the differences in modalities or
practitioners—or the potential value of CAM treatments. Practitioners of CAM
may be just as apt to discourage the use of conventional medicine, citing its reli-
ance on dangerous drugs and invasive procedures, its failure to respect the healing
powers of nature, and its lack of compassion and patient-centeredness. There is
real danger here of patients toppling into the divide, with attendant squandering of
the potential for disease prevention and health promotion. The case study in Box 3
illustrates this threat.
!
!!!
"
"""#$
#$#$
#$!W
!W!W
!W!
!!!
!
!!!
! >!FD! 0(3)A51;!731(!J+/'!5883,+5*31!8'(,/! 93+*! 3*;!*5! 9)+5)!7(;+831!'+,/5)0!J3,! )(.())(;! K0!3!
9)+73)0! 83)(! 9)5I+;()! /5! 3! 83);+5156+,/C! J'5! )(8577(*;(;! 83);+38! 83/'(/()+X3/+5*H! \(/+8(*/!
3K5:/!85*I(*/+5*31!7(;+831!83)(C! /'(!93/+(*/!;(8+;(;!/5!,((M! 31/()*3/+I(! 83)(! +*,/(3;H!Q5+*6!,5!
)3+,(;!/'(!9)5,9(8/! /'3/! 3! 95/(*/+3110! 1+.(A/')(3/(*+*6!85)5*3)0! 85*;+/+5*! 7+6'/! *5/! K(!(I31:3/(;!
3*;!/)(3/(;!3,!J3))3*/(;H!
!
! T*,/(3;C! /'(! 93/+(*/@,! *(9'(J]3! 4'Q! +*! 9,08'51560]K)5:6'/! '+7! /5! 3*! +*/(6)3/+I(! 7(;+8+*(!
8(*/()C! J'()(! /'(! )51(,! 3*;! I31:(! 5.! K5/'! 85*I(*/+5*31! 3*;! =>?! /)(3/7(*/,! 3)(! )(856*+X(;H!
SI31:3/+5*!K0!3*! +*/()*+,/! ,:66(,/(;!/'(!8'(,/!93+*!'3;! 3!15J!9)+5)!9)5K3K+1+/0!5.!K(+*6! 83);+38C!
3*;!J3,!81(3)10!*5/!:*,/3K1(H!>!*:81(3)!,/)(,,!/(,/!J3,!9)595,(;!/5!/'(!93/+(*/!3,!3!1(,,!+*I3,+I(!
31/()*3/+I(!/5!83);+38!83/'(/()+X3/+5*C!3*;!/'(!93/+(*/!388(9/(;!/'(!)(8577(*;3/+5*H!&'(!83);+A
5156+,/!J3,!85*/38/(;C!/'(!83,(!;+,8:,,(;C!3*;!85*,(*,:,!38'+(I(;H!&'(!*:81(3)!,/)(,,!/(,/!J3,!
*5)731C!3*;! /'(!93/+(*/!J3,!,:88(,,.:110!/)(3/(;!.5)!*5*83);+38! 8'(,/!93+*H!2+,!83);+38!)+,M!.38A
/5),!J()(!(I31:3/(;!3*;!73*36(;!J+/'!1+.(,/01(C!3*;!'(!)(73+*(;!:*;()!/'(!83)(!5.!'+,!4=4C!J+/'!
83);+51560!.5115JA:9!3,!J3))3*/(;H!
!
! &'(!93/+(*/!3*;!'+,!*(9'(J!,:K,(^:(*/10!38M*5J1(;6(;!/'3/!'3;!/'(!59/+5*!5.!+*/(6)3/+I(!83)(!
*5/!K((*!3I3+13K1(C!/'(!93/+(*/!J5:1;!1+M(10!'3I(!3K3*;5*(;!85*I(*/+5*31!83)(!.5)!=>?C!(I(*!3/!
/'(!)+,M!5.!'+,!1+.(H!&'(!83,(C!5.!85:),(C! J5:1;!K(!/'3/!7:8'!75)(!8579(11+*6!'3;!/'(!8'(,/!93+*!
9)5I(*!/5!K(!5.!83);+38!5)+6+*C!K:/!+/!7+6'/!J(11!'3I(C!3*;!/'(!*(L/!83,(!8()/3+*10!85:1;H!
!!!
Katz and Ali
26
Patients under such conditions are left in a precarious position:
• Those seeking both conventional care and CAM are likely to receive con-
flicting advice and lack the expertise required to achieve a prudent recon-
ciliation;
• Those choosing to follow both sets of advice may be subject to dangerous
interactions that neither half of the fractured care system knows about;
• Those avoiding a possible conflict by limiting their selection to just one
medical discipline may be losing important benefits offered by others,
with resultant deficiencies in care, and potential for disease prevention.
The patient with a chronic health problem for which conventional treatment is
ineffective may be left to search among a wide array of therapies, with no place to
go for expert guidance that considers all of the options. The costs of such possibly
aimless care are likely to be high in both human suffering and dollars (Katz and
Ali, 2008), with patients choosing therapies that may be futile, potentially causing
them to lose hope, causing insurers in turn to continue resisting including CAM
modalities among covered benefits. There is thus a compelling case for the
enlightened practice of integrative medicine on the basis of both clinical and fi-
nancial grounds.
Even as CAM in the U.S. health care system is known to be widely popular
among the public (Barnes et al., 2008), resistance to the proliferation of CAM
among conventionally trained practitioners persists (Angell and Kassirer, 1998;
Marcus, 2002; Sampson, 2001). Health insurers, although uncertain as to the po-
tential costs and benefits, are subject to increasing pressures to reimburse for
various CAM practices (Pelletier and Astin, 2002; Pelletier et al., 1999). These
tensions and incompatibilities constitute a challenge and a threat to patient-
centered, holistic approaches to care, and to the goals and objectives of preventive
medicine.
Patient empowerment is one of the dominant principles and trends in modern
health care, but there are others. The popularity of CAM is itself an important
trend, as is interest in natural therapies and holism. The importance of evidence as
the basis for therapies and decisions is an increasingly salient feature in medical
education and practice. Finally, the advent of managed care has resulted in in-
creasing attention to the cost-effectiveness of medical interventions.
The confluence of these trends represents the context in which CAM and con-
ventional medicine must coexist. An increasing emphasis on prevention as a cor-
nerstone of health policy merely adds to the urgency and promise of reconciling
these trends, and to the costs of failure to do so.
The reconciliation of evidence-based and patient-centered care begins by rec-
ognizing that, as Green ( (2006) points out, evidence-based practice cries out for
Katz and Ali
27
practice-based evidence. Conventionally, the pinnacle of evidence in research is
the multi-center, randomized controlled trial, or a meta-analysis of such trials. But
the pinnacle of evidence in practice is simply what happens to the patient. If a
therapy decisively supported by evidence from multiple clinical trials fails to alle-
viate symptoms or arrest disease progression, or produces adverse rather than
beneficial effects, in a given patient, the therapy does not work for the patient in
question. That might be called an anecdote, but another appellation is just as apt:
it is a fact.
Similarly, when a therapeutic modality that lacks the strong support of defini-
tive clinical trials alleviates symptoms or arrests disease progression in a patient
in whom the tried and true has failed, it, too, is a fact. This fact, when it occurs,
reminds us of the distinction between deficient evidence, and evidence of defi-
ciency.
An appreciation for the nature of practice-based evidence encourages the rec-
onciliation of responsible use of science, with responsiveness to the needs of pa-
tients that often persist as clinical trial data run out. The Clinical Utility of
Research Evidence Construct, in Table 2 below, highlights the practical, and prac-
tice-oriented, implications of this interface.
This framework suggests that clinical application of “evidence” depends on 5
considerations: the relative safety of a given intervention; the relative effective-
ness; the quality and quantity of the supporting evidence; the availability of other
treatment options for the condition; and patient preferences. When treatment ap-
proaches are unsafe, ineffective, poorly supported by science, less effective than
other options, and not the uniquely compatible with patient preference, they
should never be used. When a treatment is safe, effective, supported decisively by
science, better than any other therapeutic option, and preferred by a patient, it
TABLE 2 The CURE (Clinical Utility of Research Evidence) Construct
Safety
Efficacy
Science
Other thera-
peutic op-
tions
Patient pref-
erence
Utilization
frequency
of treatment
in question
High High Decisive None that is
superior
Prefers rec-
ommended
approach
Always
Probable Possible Unclear None / few Anything that
will work
Often
Low Low Absent /
opposed
Many that are
superior
Anything that
will work
Never
Katz and Ali
28
should always be used. The challenges, and the contributions of integrative medi-
cine, reside in between, such as when the approaches supported by the best sci-
ence have all been tried, and have all failed. What is left to try is a treatment that
is apparently safe, possibly effective, desired by the patient, but not definitively
supported by the available research evidence. This construct highlights the over-
lap of integrative medicine and preventive medicine as well: integrative medicine
broadens the array of treatment options available to fulfill the objectives of pre-
ventive medicine described in the text.
Perhaps the ultimate expression of integrative care is when practitioners from
both CAM and conventional medicine make their recommendations available to
patients, who can then choose, with expert guidance and support, from a wider
array of options. This removes barriers and ensures continuity of care between
conventional medicine and CAM—an idealized “seamless interface.” Although
few and far between thus far, such models do exist, and they appear likely to pro-
liferate.
The advantages of integrative care, in which diverse practitioners collaborate,
are compelling. The traditional wall of silence between CAM and conventional
practice is overcome, thereby avoiding the risk of adverse interactions or gaps in
care. Interaction in the care of a patient can help practitioners learn about one an-
other in a manner conducive to more productive collaborations over time. Rather
than relying on the limited expertise in all of medicine that any one individual can
attain, physicians can take a collaborative approach to care, which provides the
patient with access to practitioners who have complementary knowledge and ex-
pertise. Because training, credentials, and legitimacy of practice vary widely
across the expanse of CAM, and because proficiency varies among convention-
ally trained physicians, direct communication among practitioners can also help
patients identify the most competent, credible, and suitable providers.
As the term CAM refers to any therapy or provider outside the mainstream,
any modicum of efficacy or legitimacy satisfies this label. The CAM disciplines
with the most promise of successful integration into conventional medicine are
those with tangible standards. Specifically, those that have accredited training
programs, national certification, standardized education, and government regula-
tion and licensure. Of the myriad CAM degrees available, the distinctly licensed
fields are acupuncture, chiropractic, midwifery, massage therapy, and naturo-
pathic medicine (see Table 3).
Katz and Ali
29
TABLE 3 Licensed CAM Professions
Profession Designation Degree Training Regulation Credentialing body
Acupuncture
and Oriental
Medicine
L.Ac. (Licensed
Acupuncturist)
Masters 2-4 years 43 states National Certifica-
tion Commission
for Acupuncture
and Oriental Medi-
cine (NCCAOM)
Chiropractic D.C. (Doctor of
Chiropractic)
Doctorate 4 years 50 states Federation of Chi-
ropractic Licensing
Boards
Midwifery C.P.M. (Certi-
fied Profes-
sional Midwife)
variable variable Licensed or
certified in
22 states
North American
Registry of Mid-
wives (NARM)
Massage
therapy
None None 500-1000
hours
Regulated in
39 states
National Certifica-
tion Board for
Therapeutic Mas-
sage and Bodywork
(NCBTMB)
Naturopathic
Medicine
N.D. (Doctor of
Naturopathic
Medicine)
Doctorate 4 years Licensed in
15 states
North American
Board of Naturo-
pathic Examiners
(NABNE)
To date, the outpatient setting, where patient autonomy is far greater and regu-
lation of practice is less strict, is where CAM has flourished. With few but note-
worthy exceptions, such as the cardiac surgery program at Columbia Presbyterian
Medical Center (Okvat et al., 2002; Oz, 2004) and cancer service at Beth Israel
Hospital (Hartocollis, 2008), both in New York City, as well as Abbott Northwest
Hospital (Institute for Health and Healing, 2007) in Minneapolis, the inpatient
setting has been largely inhospitable to CAM, and consequently integrative medi-
cine, thus far. Hospital care is particularly dominated by concerns for evidence-
based practice, as well as the stipulations of insurers. Despite this, hospitals are
increasingly tempted to address the public’s interest in CAM by making some of
the most clearly benign therapies, such as massage, available (Hemphill and
Kemp, 2000). Such gestures may enhance patient satisfaction at low cost.
As one example of an integrative care model that embraces these principles,
the Integrative Medicine Center (IMC) at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut,
offers outpatient care that is fully consensus based (Katz et al., 2003a; McCloud,
2008). The IMC is codirected by a conventional physician and a naturopathic
physician. Patients, either self- or physician-referred, are evaluated sequentially
by a conventionally trained medical provider and by a naturopathic physician.
Each such evaluation terminates with a consensus conference, in which the pro-
viders from both disciplines review the array of treatment options with the patient.
Katz and Ali
30
The IMC is supported by a panel of CAM providers throughout the state of
Connecticut, to whom patients may be referred for specialized therapies. Among
the services the IMC provides is an evaluation of the credentials and practice his-
tory of these practitioners, thereby helping patients find the most reputable practi-
tioners. Other models of integrative medicine around the country have addressed
integration in a variety of ways, but the true potential of integrative care to en-
hance patient outcomes, satisfaction, and/or the cost-effectiveness of care is as yet
unclear. This will remain the case until research funds are specifically dedicated
to the testing of models of care, and their impact on symptoms, disease progres-
sion, functional capacity, patient satisfaction, and costs of care.
The case for integrative medicine at this juncture in the evolution of health
care is persuasive, and perhaps nowhere more so than in the zone of overlap with
preventive medicine, summarized in Table 4. Given the public’s clear and grow-
ing interest in CAM, a system of care that fails to address CAM simply cannot be
truly patient-centered. Patient empowerment and autonomy, however, should not
be at the expense of science and evidence, and thus wholesale endorsement of
CAM in conventional medical institutions is equally inappropriate.
The ultimate goal of integrative medicine should be to make the widest array
of appropriate options available to patients. Appropriateness should be predicated
on fundamental considerations that pertain equally to conventional and CAM
practice: treatment safety and treatment effectiveness. Treatment safety and
treatment effectiveness must, in turn, be interpreted in light of the available evi-
dence.
TABLE 4 The interface of integrative medicine with the levels of preventive medicine,
and the potential benefits.
Level of Preven-
tion
Disease prevention
objectives
Representative inte-
grative medicine mo-
dalities
Potential advantages
Primary Health promotion;
preventing the incep-
tion of disease
Dietary counseling;
nutriceutical use; stress
management; etc.
Greater patient en-
gagement in self-care,
more effective and
widespread primary
prevention
Secondary Treatment of pre-
symptomatic disease
Diet; nutriceuticals;
etc.
Enhanced patient com-
pliance; reduced reli-
ance on
pharmacotherapy
Tertiary Control of disease
progression; symp-
tom management
Acupuncture; massage;
stress management;
nutriceuticals; etc.
Enhanced symptom
control; enhanced satis-
faction; improved func-
tion
Katz and Ali
31
The ultimate goal in the evolution of integrative care should be the blurring of
boundaries between conventional care and CAM. Both disciplines should be sub-
ject to rigorous scientific inquiry so that interventions that work are systematically
distinguished from those that do not (Vickers, 2001). Safety should not be as-
sumed in either case but should similarly be derived from rigorous evaluation.
Although the importance of scientific evidence in modern medicine is indis-
putable, its application is often questionable. Evidence simply does not exist to
indicate the best treatments for many chronic conditions and syndromes. Under
such circumstances, practitioners who choose to view evidence rigidly may have
nothing to offer their patients but an apology (Katz, 2000). Where strong evidence
in support of a particular therapy exists, that therapy should be recommended in
preference to others. The less clear it is as to which might be the “right” treatment
choice, the more important it is to work down a hierarchy of evidence, consider-
ing safety, effectiveness, alternatives, the evidence supporting each (see Table 2).
For many conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, a defini-
tive therapy does not exist, and the best available treatments are those likely to be
safe—and possibly effective. Access to CAM modalities greatly broadens patient
options at this end of the evidence hierarchy, where options are generally most
needed. It should be noted, as well, that a therapy a patient is unwilling to use is
ineffective, regardless of conclusions reached in RCTs.
Any effort to expand the applications of integrative medicine should proceed
from the more evidence based modalities to the less, and from the outpatient to
the inpatient setting. There are challenges to overcome in reconciling four promi-
nent themes in modern health care: patient autonomy; reliance on scientific evi-
dence; cost-effectiveness; and an emphasis on prevention. Any effort to do so at
present will itself be hindered by a relative lack of pertinent evidence. This evi-
dence should demonstrate efficacy and practicality; research priorities should in-
clude outcomes research and cost-effectiveness studies on existing models of
integrative medicine.
But even in the absence of evidence, it is clear that none of the goals of health
care are served by a failure to treat symptoms adequately, engage patients in a
therapeutic alliance, control disease progression, or produce satisfaction. The
simple and compelling argument for integrative care is that as impressive as are
the bounds of modern medical science and knowledge, they encompass far less
terrain than patient need. We simply do not manage to make all of our patients
better. Integrative care will not achieve universal success either, but it does ex-
pand the array of options, and thereby promises to increase the total ratio of suc-
cesses to failures. Those successes may be reasonably, and constructively,
catalogued across the stages of prevention.
Katz and Ali
32
RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THIS CAN MOVE FORWARD
1. Funding for outcomes research on integrative medicine models of care
should be increased.
- observational and interventional
- emphasis on whole systems and whole person approaches
2. Research must be increased on the ability to assist in and adhere to life-
style change in patients utilizing integrative medicine.
3. Research should compare differing models of integrative care in terms of
optimizing outcomes and cost, as well as comparing integrative medicine
models with standard care.
4. Clinical trials of integrative medicine should be conducted on outcomes
with high public health significance.
5. A standardized definition of integrative medicine should be developed that
is both specific and inclusive of different practice types.
- this will also entail defining what is not integrative care.
6. Besides research focusing on standard biomarkers, other “holistic” out-
comes should be studied: quality of life, functionality, and financial im-
pact (including absenteeism and presenteeism).
7. The case can and should be made in medical education that respect for
evidence and responsiveness to the needs of patients are complementary
priorities.
8. Exposure to integrative practice should be routine in medical education.
QUESTIONS WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING DURING SUMMIT
• How do we define integrative care in practice – is it a philosophy or a
concrete set of structures?
• What defines an integrative medicine practitioner?
• What populations can best potentially benefit from integrative medicine?
• How do we address barriers to widespread implementation of integrative
medicine?
• Is there enough evidence or rationale for widespread implementation of
integrative medicine?
• Is integrative medicine a fad?
• Will the ideals of integrative medicine render integrative care obsolete?
(i.e. when “good medicine” becomes the norm)
Katz and Ali
33
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