Alternative or complementary attitudes toward alternative and complementary medicines

Abstract

Background Integrative and complementary health approaches (ICHA) are often pursued by patients facing chronic illnesses. Most of the studies that investigated the factors associated with ICHA consumption have considered that the propensity to use ICHA is a stable or fixed characteristic of an individual. However, people may prefer using ICHA in some situations and not in others, depending on the characteristics of the illness to face. Moreover, the attitude toward ICHA may differ within a single individual and between individuals so that ICHA can be used either in addition to (i.e., complementary attitude) or in place of (i.e., alternative attitude). The present study aimed at examining distinct patterns of attitudes toward ICHA in people hypothetically facing chronic illnesses that differed according to severity and clinical expression. Methods We conducted a web-based study including 1807 participants who were asked to imagine that they had a particular chronic illness based on clinical vignettes (mental illnesses: depression, schizophrenia; somatic illnesses: rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis). Participants were invited to rate their perceived distress and social stigma associated with each illness as well as its perceived treatability. They also rated their belief in treatment effectiveness, and their treatment preference. Four patterns of treatment choice were determined: strictly conventional, weak or strong complementary, and alternative. Bayesian methods were used for statistical analyses. Results ICHA were selected as complementary treatment option by more than 95% of people who hypothetically faced chronic illness. The complementary attitude towards ICHA (in addition to conventional treatment) was more frequent than the alternative one (in place of conventional treatment). Factors driving this preference included employment status, severity of illness, age and perceived distress, social stigma and treatability of the illness. When the label of illnesses was included in the vignettes, patterns of treatment preference were altered. Conclusions This study provides evidence that “medical pluralism” (i.e., the integration of ICHA with conventional treatment) is likely the norm for people facing both mental or somatic illness. However, our result must be interpreted with caution due to the virtual nature of this study. We suggest that taking attitudes toward ICHA into account is crucial for a better understanding of patients’ motivation to use ICHA. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-019-2490-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence, specific and non-specific determinants of complementary medicine use in Switzerland: Data from the 2017 Swiss Health Survey

“…The reimbursed CM therapies vary between private insurances. Based on the data from the Swiss Health Survey 2007 and 2012, 23.0% and 25.0%, respectively, of the population aged 15 and older had used at least one CM method in the previous 12 months [15,16].…”

Efficacy of Short Course of Preksha Dhyana for Functional Abdominal Pain Disorder in a Busy Pediatric Clinic

“…Though evidence for the effectiveness of mind–body approaches is promising, methods to integrate them into routine care, and especially outpatient clinic settings, are needed ( 16 ). Interestingly, the acceptance and integration of complementary medicine with conventional treatment are growing among patients along with providers ( 17 ).…”

Determination of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors towards Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Patients Applying to Pamukkale University Medical Faculty Hospital Polyclinics

“…Studies show that the frequency of TCM use varies between 9.8-76% worldwide 7 . Many individuals resort to TCM methods for the treatment of serious physical and mental diseases, especially diabetes, hypertension, cancer, musculoskeletal system diseases and dermatological problems 6,8 . Sometimes patients may prefer these methods first without going to the health institution, and sometimes they turn to these methods to support their medical treatment 8 .…”

“…Many individuals resort to TCM methods for the treatment of serious physical and mental diseases, especially diabetes, hypertension, cancer, musculoskeletal system diseases and dermatological problems 6,8 . Sometimes patients may prefer these methods first without going to the health institution, and sometimes they turn to these methods to support their medical treatment 8 . The fact that TCM methods are individualoriented and their holistic approach, which takes into account not only physical health but also mental and social well-being, has made these methods trustworthy by the society 4 .…”

“…The factors affecting the use of TCM are various. Sociodemographic factors, income level, type and severity of the disease, dissatisfaction with modern medicine, limited health care access, cultural beliefs, long-term use of TCM methods, perceived usefulness and safety of these methods, accessibility of TCM methods and being affected by social networks are considered among the reasons why TCM methods are preferred 4,6,7,8,12 . In the literature, the main reasons that keep individuals from using these methods are reported as lack of scientific evidence for TCM methods, disbelief in their effectiveness and safety, and not performing the applications under hygienic conditions 7 .…”