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Bridging the gap between conventional and alternative medicine.
B Barrett1, L Marchand, J Scheder
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53715, USA. bbarrett@fammed.wisc.edu
The Journal of Family Practice
|March 29, 2000
Summary
Patients and providers in Madison seek integrated healthcare, valuing the empowerment and holism of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) alongside conventional treatments for better access and legitimacy.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Healthcare Research
- Patient Behavior
Background:
- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is increasing.
- Investigated CAM utilization patterns in Madison, Wisconsin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore patient and provider perspectives on CAM.
- To understand attitudes and behaviors regarding concurrent therapy use.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semistructured interviews with 17 patients using CAM and conventional therapies.
- Interviewed 20 alternative practitioners across major modalities.
- Analyzed interview transcripts using a multidisciplinary team approach.
Main Results:
- Identified four key themes: holism, empowerment, access, and legitimization.
- Contrasted conventional medicine (mechanistic, accessible) with alternative healing (holistic, empowering).
- Observed a demand for integrating beneficial aspects of both systems.
Conclusions:
- Confirmed the complementary and alternative roles of unconventional healthcare.
- Highlighted the need for more integrated and accessible healthcare systems.
- Provided insights for bridging conventional and alternative medicine.