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Related Experiment Videos

NHS patients' perspective on complementary medicine: a survey.

F M C Sharples1, R van Haselen, P Fisher

  • 1Academic Unit, Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, UCL Hospitals NHS Trust, London , UK.

Complementary Therapies in Medicine
|March 17, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Patients seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) when conventional treatments fail or cause adverse reactions. Many report significant improvement with CAM, sometimes reducing or stopping prescription medications.

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Area of Science:

  • Integrative Medicine
  • Patient-Reported Outcomes
  • Healthcare Services Research

Background:

  • Conventional treatments may not meet all patient needs.
  • Patient dissatisfaction can drive the search for alternative therapies.
  • Understanding patient motivations for seeking CAM is crucial for healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate patient reasons for using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the UK's National Health Service.
  • To assess the impact of CAM on chronic health conditions.
  • To evaluate patient satisfaction and changes in conventional medication use.

Main Methods:

  • A survey was conducted with 499 patients attending a dedicated CAM facility.
  • Data collected included reasons for seeking CAM, duration of health problems, perceived improvement, and prescription medication usage.

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  • Analysis focused on patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction.

    • Main Results:

    • The primary drivers for seeking CAM were treatment ineffectiveness and adverse reactions to conventional medicine.
    • Musculoskeletal issues were the most common condition, with 63% experiencing problems for over 5 years.
    • A high satisfaction rate (90%) was reported, with 81% experiencing improvement; many reduced or ceased prescription medication.

    Conclusions:

    • Orthodox medicine may not fully address the needs of certain patient populations.
    • Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can serve as a partial or complete substitute for conventional treatments.
    • Further research is warranted to explore the implications of CAM use in healthcare.