Complementary or alternative? The use of homeopathic products and antibiotics amongst pre-school children

Abstract

Background: Any intervention to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics for infections in children has the potential to reduce the selective pressure on antimicrobial resistance and minimise the medicalisation of self-limiting illness. Little is known about whether homeopathic products might be used by some families as an alternative to antibiotics or the characteristics of such families. We used the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) observational dataset to explore the hypothesis that the use of homeopathic products is associated with reduced antibiotic use in pre-school children and to identify characteristics of the families of pre-school children given homeopathic products.

The Use of Homeopathic Products in Childhood: Data Generated over 8.5 Years from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

“…A sister study within the ALSPAC CAM study group showed no reduction in antibiotic use in homeopathic users. 26 As previously mentioned, observational data suggest a benefit of HP in the management of asthma, and qualitative data reflected parents' desire to take greater personal control over their child's condition and to be less dependent on medication. 27 However, systematic reviews suggest that evidence is insufficient for a clinical benefit of homeopathy in asthma, but also suggest that it is important to investigate homeopathy as a package of care rather than homeopathy as a single intervention.…”

Is use of homeopathy associated with poor prescribing in English primary care? A cross-sectional study

“…10 Globally, personal use of homeopathy in doctors has a strong association with prescribing of homeopathy. 11 There is also some evidence on patient factors associated with choosing homeopathy, again based on surveys: patients are most likely to be female, better educated, have healthier lifestyles and report lower tendency to seek medical help when their child is ill. 12,13 Using publicly available data, practices may be measured on their prescribing quality through assessment of the cost-effectiveness, efficacy and safety of medicines prescribed, based on national guidelines. Practices may also be judged by their quality outcomes framework score and patient recommendation rates.…”

“…10 Globally, personal use of homeopathy in doctors has a strong association with prescribing of homeopathy. 11 There is also some evidence on patient factors associated with choosing homeopathy, again based on surveys: patients are most likely to be female, better educated, have healthier lifestyles and report lower tendency to seek medical help when their child is ill. 12,13…”

Learning strengths from cultural differences: a comparative study of maternal health-related behaviors and infant care among Southern Asian immigrants and Taiwanese women

“…Symptoms of psychological disorders include headache, lost appetite, weight loss, and insomnia [9]. In addition, language barriers prevent effective communication with medical staff limit the immigrants’ use of healthcare services, and family members or friends become the major sources of information [7,10]. …”