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Psych: The CAMelot Project - Background

Camelot ID
Chronic disease and related health problems are increasing in prevalence in Australia. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) or natural therapies provide an increasingly popular form of self-care, used by up to 70% of Australians at an estimated annual cost of around $4 billion. Despite the high levels of use and associated costs, there is little information about how and why people with chronic conditions use CAMs.

CAMELOT (Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Economics, Lifestyle and Other Therapeutic approaches for chronic conditions) is a study funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council to investigate the use (and non use) of CAM therapies among people with Type 2 diabetes and/ or cardiovascular disease (CVD).

CAMELOT is conducted in association with Diabetes Australia-Victoria, Heart Support Australia, and the Chronic Illness Alliance

Using an interdisciplinary approach and a mix of research methods, the research is providing new information on community approaches to the use of CAM, including the motivators, costs, barriers and benefits of CAM use. This research has implications for the control of these conditions; understanding the relationship between CAM, medical and public health advice; and understanding how individuals comprehend and live with these chronic conditions.

CAMELOT acknowledges the complexity of the Australian healthcare environment, and strengthens Australia’s research capacity in health social sciences and public health in this field, generating new information important to population health practice and policy.

CAMELOT has the potential to help healthcare providers better understand the experiences of people living with cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes, and may assist to improve related treatment and services.

The CAMELOT Project is comprised of the following parts:

  • Phase I (2008-2010) - In depth interviews with Victorians who have Type 2 diabetes or/and CVD and who use CAM therapies
    – In depth interviews with healthcare practitioners who treat or support people with Type 2 diabetes or/and CVD
  • Phase II (2010) - Online or postal survey of people with Type 2 diabetes or/and CVD (conducted between April and July 2010)
  • Economic evaluation - Includes evaluation of costs data from survey, the role of private health insurance in CAM use, and a ‘willingness to pay’ survey (discrete choice experiment) to better understand why people choose CAM or conventional medicine in different situations

CAMELOT commenced in 2008 and runs to 2011. It is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (NHMRC no. 491171)

Ethics approval has been granted by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (No. 2008/1235)

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Complementary and Alternative Medicines

(CAMs) include use of CAM products or visits to CAM practitioners. CAM therapies include (but are not limited to):

  • Self-help practices, for example the use of vitamin, mineral, herbal or other supplements, prayer.
  • Visits to an alternative, integrative or natural healthcare practitioners including: Acupuncturist, anthroposophical (Steiner) practitioner, aromatherapist, depth or medical astrologer, Bowen therapist, Ayurvedic or Chinese medicine practitioner, chiropractor, crystal or energy healer, herbalist, homeopath, iridologist, kinesiologist, massage therapist, naturopath, nutritionist, osteopath, pranic healer, reflexologist, reiki practitioner, spiritual healer, traditional healer, and MANY others.
  • Group participation in things like yoga, meditation, Tai chi, Qigong, prayer, spiritual healing.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD)  includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, athero- or arterio-sclerosis (hardening of the arteries), stroke, heart attack, heart surgery (e.g. heart bypass surgery, or insertion of stents), and other conditions.