The incidence of patients enrolled in NIH Clinical Center trials who have sought and or are currently receiving adjunctive unconventional therapies is not known. Because NIH is a research facility it is particularly important to know an individual's use of any prior or ongoing alternative medicine therapies which may impact upon medical care and the results of research. The purpose of this study will be to objectively document, through interviews the prevalence, demographics, and patterns of use of alternative medical therapies. The study population will be 500 adult patients diagnosed with Cancer and HIV+ patients (250 Cancer and 250 HIV+) who are on Clinical Center, NCI and NIAID protocols. A simple descriptive survey design will be used in this study. The instrument is a modification of surveys developed by Barrie Cassileth, PhD, and David Eisenber, MD. Also incorporated is a Multi-dimensional Health Locus of Control Scale modified by Dean Kazoleas, PhD.
