ISBN-13: 9783639349801 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 248 str.
Understanding profiles of older individuals, who use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) services, continues to remain under researched. Towards better understanding massage therapy (MT) user profiles, this study tested a modified version of Andersens Health Behavior Model. Respondents represented an elderly sample (aged 60+) that resided within a large urban city. Using a quantitative method, data were gathered over a period of 6 month. Bivariate analysis suggest that inequalities exist within the sample obtained whereby the ability to access certain health care resources which are not publicly funded, such as massage therapy, varies according to ones socioeconomic status. This is further supported using binary logistic regression, whereby being self- employed, ones employment situation and household income where strong predictors of MT use status. Ones health network and having back problems also emerged as significant predictors of MT use. Overall findings suggests that Andersens Model is useful towards gaining an improved understanding of older users of MT.