ABSTRACT

Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) has become big business internationally, in particular with regards to a range of women’s health issues. With this context in mind, Women's Health and Complementary and Integrative Medicine constitutes a valuable and timely resource for those looking to understand, initiate and expand CIM research and evidence-based debate with regards to a wide range of women’s health care issues.

The collection brings together leading international CIM researchers from Australia, the USA, the UK, Germany and Canada, with backgrounds and expertise in health social science, statistics, qualitative methodology, clinial trial design, clinical pharmacology, health services research and public health. Contributors draw upon their own CIM research work and experience to explain and review core research and practice issues pertinent to the contemporary field of CIM and its future development with regards to women’s health.

The book outlines the core issues, challenges and opportunities facing the CIM-women’s health field and its study and will provide insight and inspiration for those practising, studying and/or researching the contemporary relations between CIM and women’s health and health care.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

part I|54 pages

CIM use and women’s life cycle

chapter 1|14 pages

The role of complementary and integrative medicine within preconception care

Contributing to an emerging research field

chapter 2|13 pages

Complementary and integrative medicine use in pregnancy

Focus upon contemporary analysis of self-prescribed treatment among Australian women

chapter 3|12 pages

Menopause and complementary and integrative medicine

A consideration of clinical evidence, grassroots use and contemporary clinical practice guidelines

part II|50 pages

CIM use and women’s health issues

chapter 5|14 pages

Women’s cancers and complementary and integrative medicine

A focus upon prevention, disease management and survivorship

chapter 6|17 pages

The use of self-care practices and products by women with chronic illness

A case study of older women with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis

part III|55 pages

chapter 8|15 pages

Animating the ‘happening’ of complementary and integrative medicine

The potential of non-representational theory and some examples through older females’ use

chapter 11|15 pages

Models of care and women’s health

Drawing upon aspects of complementary and integrative medicine