Patterns of complementary and alternative medicine and health care utilization among long-term opioid users with chronic non-cancer pain: a repeated cross-sectional study.
5 affiliations
- 1National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestraede 6, Copenhagen, 1455, Denmark. [email protected].
- 2National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestraede 6, Copenhagen, 1455, Denmark.
- 3Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen, 2200, Denmark.
- 4Pain and Palliative Care Research Group, Multidisciplinary Pain Center, Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Respiratory Support, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, dept 7612, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark.
- 5St. Luke's Academy of Palliative Medicine, St. Luke's Foundation, Bernstorffsvej 20, Hellerup, 2900, Denmark.
Abstract
Background
High opioid use among individuals with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) raises concerns about safe pain management, leading some patients to seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, treatment-seeking patterns, including how CAM and conventional care are combined, remain unclear among those receiving long-term opioid treatment. The aim was to investigate health-seeking behaviours among individuals with CNCP receiving long-term opioid treatment.Methods
Repeated cross-sectional data from the Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys (2000-2021) were linked to national administrative registers at the individual level. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear and logistic regression models were applied to analyze CAM use, general practitioner (GP) consultations, physiotherapy, and chiropractic care within the last 12 months in relation to CNCP and long-term opioid use.Results
Trends remained largely unchanged from 2000 to 2021, with only minor fluctuations. GP consultations increased with long-term opioid use and were further elevated among individuals with CNCP who also used CAM. Among individuals with CNCP, combined long-term opioid and CAM use was associated with an average of 20.1 additional GP visits (95% CI: 17.5-22.7) compared with individuals without CNCP and no CAM use. Physiotherapy and chiropractic visits were more strongly associated with CAM use than with long-term opioid use. For instance, CNCP individuals using CAM without long-term opioid use had 5.8 times higher odds (95% CI: 4.6-7.4) of at least one chiropractor visit compared with those without CNCP and no CAM use.Conclusion
These findings highlight distinct health care‑seeking patterns and indicate a substantial health care burden among CNCP individuals receiving long‑term opioid treatment.
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BibTeX
@article{ahrensberg2026patterns,
title = {{Patterns of complementary and alternative medicine and health care utilization among long-term opioid users with chronic non-cancer pain: a repeated cross-sectional study.}},
author = {Hannah Ahrensberg and Nanna Gram Ahlmark and Susan Andersen and Geana Paula Kurita and Per Føge Jensen and Ola Ekholm},
journal = {BMC complementary medicine and therapies},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12906-026-05498-w},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907821},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Patterns of complementary and alternative medicine and health care utilization among long-term opioid users with chronic non-cancer pain: a repeated cross-sectional study.
AU - Hannah Ahrensberg
AU - Nanna Gram Ahlmark
AU - Susan Andersen
AU - Geana Paula Kurita
AU - Per Føge Jensen
AU - Ola Ekholm
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/03
JO - BMC complementary medicine and therapies
DO - 10.1186/s12906-026-05498-w
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42907821
AB - Background High opioid use among individuals with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) raises concerns about safe pain management, leading some patients to seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, treatment-seeking patterns, including how CAM and conventional care are combined, remain unclear among those receiving long-term opioid treatment. The aim was to investigate health-seeking behaviours among individuals with CNCP receiving long-term opioid treatment.Methods Repeated cross-sectional data from the Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys (2000-2021) were linked to national administrative registers at the individual level. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear and logistic regression models were applied to analyze CAM use, general practitioner (GP) consultations, physiotherapy, and chiropractic care within the last 12 months in relation to CNCP and long-term opioid use.Results Trends remained largely unchanged from 2000 to 2021, with only minor fluctuations. GP consultations increased with long-term opioid use and were further elevated among individuals with CNCP who also used CAM. Among individuals with CNCP, combined long-term opioid and CAM use was associated with an average of 20.1 additional GP visits (95% CI: 17.5-22.7) compared with individuals without CNCP and no CAM use. Physiotherapy and chiropractic visits were more strongly associated with CAM use than with long-term opioid use. For instance, CNCP individuals using CAM without long-term opioid use had 5.8 times higher odds (95% CI: 4.6-7.4) of at least one chiropractor visit compared with those without CNCP and no CAM use.Conclusion These findings highlight distinct health care‑seeking patterns and indicate a substantial health care burden among CNCP individuals receiving long‑term opioid treatment.
SN - 2662-7671
ER -