Complementary medicine and general practice in an urban setting: a decade on

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Integrative Medicine
• Healthcare Research

Background:

• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage is widespread and increasing globally.
• Understanding healthcare providers' perspectives on CAM is crucial for patient care and policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess changes in UK General Practitioners' (GPs) usage, referral rates, beliefs, and attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) over a decade.
• To compare current GP perspectives with data from a 1999 survey.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to GPs in Liverpool.
• GPs reported on their treatment, referral, endorsement, and discussion of eight common CAM therapies.
• Data were collected on GPs' views regarding National Health Service (NHS) funding, effectiveness, training needs, and theoretical validity of CAM therapies.

Main Results:

• The response rate decreased from 52% in 1999 to 32% in the current survey.
• Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, and chiropractic remained the most popular CAM therapies, while aromatherapy, reflexology, and medical herbalism were least favored.
• GPs expressed greater comfort and belief in acupuncture's validity, with increased desire for training and support for NHS funding compared to other CAMs.
• Support for homeopathy decreased, and overall GP endorsement of CAMs declined significantly (38% vs. 19%).

Conclusions:

• Despite continued popularity of certain CAM therapies like acupuncture, overall GP endorsement and support for CAM have diminished over the last decade.
• GPs' attitudes towards CAM are complex, with specific therapies like acupuncture receiving more favorable views than others.
• The findings suggest a potential shift in the integration and acceptance of CAM within primary care settings.