Thursday, 24 June 2021, 9:59 am
Increasing numbers of Kiwis are following a global trend
towards alternative therapies in recent years, according to
new data.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
is an umbrella term describing a diverse range of health
systems, modalities, and practices that are not generally
considered part of conventional medicine. In New Zealand, it
is estimated that there are around 70 CAM modalities
available.[1]
New
Google search data shows local searches for alternative
medicine information were up as high as 108% last year,
compared to 2019 levels. The data also shows there was a
corresponding increase in searches related to anxiety over
the same period.[2]