Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Hospice: The National Home and Hospice Care Survey: United States, 2007

The use of complementary and alternative therapies (CAT)—products and practices not part of standard care (1)—is widespread, with a 2007 survey noting that almost 40% of noninstitutionalized U.S. adults used some form of CAT in the previous 12 months. (2) CAT is commonly used by persons with cancer and other chronic conditions (3–6). A primary focus of both CAT and end-of-life hospice care is to provide comfort and alleviate pain and symptoms such as dyspnea or anxiety.