Multivariable logistic regression to examine factors independently associated with TCM use.
| Variables | OR (95% CI) | p |
|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs, per 1-yr increase | 1.0 (0.98–1.04) | 0.4 |
| Female sex | 2.5 (1.3–4.8) | 0.007 |
| Employed | 1.6 (0.7–3.4) | 0.2 |
| ≥ 20 yrs living in the US | 2.3 (1.2–4.7) | 0.02 |
| Length of diagnosis, yrs, per 1-yr increase | 0.9 (0.9–0.99) | 0.02 |
| Medication Regimen Complexity Index, per 1-point increase | 1.05 (1.0–1.1) | 0.07 |
| Report Western medicine ineffective* | 1.5 (1.1–2.0) | 0.01 |
| Report Western medicine side effects† | 0.9 (0.7–1.2) | 0.6 |
| Believe TCM works^ | 3.9 (1.9–8.2) | < 0.001 |
↵* Answering “not at all, a little, or don’t know” vs “somewhat, quite a bit, or a lot” to “how effective is Western medicine prescribed by your rheumatologist?”
↵† Answering “Not at all or don’t know” vs “a little, somewhat, or quite a bit” to “have you had any side effects from Western medications prescribed by your rheumatologist?”
↵^ Answering “a little, somewhat, quite a bit, or a lot” vs “not at all or don’t know” to “in general do you believe TCM works?” TCM: traditional Chinese medicine.