Year: 2012
Type: report
Abstract: Key findingsAlthough the UK is over-represented in the literature reviewed in this report and the reporting quality of many articles is variable, the following general trends in relation to citizens' attitudes and needs concerning CAM can be noted:• A majority of citizens holds positive attitudes to CAM, and demand and support increased and diverse CAM provision in public health services.• Citizens' attitudes and needs concerning CAM are shown to be embedded in a multidimensional decision-making environment which encompasses many diverse issues relating to the availability of information about CAM, access to CAM provision, and the quality and safety of CAM practice and CAM medicinal products.• A link between the availability of information about CAM and citizens' non-use of CAM is noted in the literature.This highlights the need for accessible, reliable and trustworthy information about CAM to enable citizens to make informed choices about their healthcare.• Citizens gather information about CAM in two main ways.In some countries (e.g. the UK, Turkey, Israel, Norway and Ireland) citizens' social networks constitute the main source of information about CAM.In these countries, biomedical professionals as information source are relatively less important, though some citizens indicate that they would like to receive information about CAM through this channel.By contrast, in countries where CAM is frequently provided by biomedical professionals (e.g.Germany) these professionals often constitute a key source of information, with information shared through social networks tending to be relatively less important.In addition, citizens also particularly draw on print and broadcast media to gather information.• Citizens' demand for increasing availability of CAM in public health services links with their diverse needs when seeking to access CAM provision, such as the barriers to CAM use they experience and/or perceive (e.g. the financial cost of CAM, biomedical professionals' negative attitudes to CAM), and their wish for a more active role of biomedical professionals in supporting their CAM use.• Citizens' attitudes and needs concerning the quality of care in CAM highlight that they value distinct aspects of CAM practice, including the CAM provider-patient relationship; a whole person approach frequently associated with the practice of CAM; and explanatory frameworks that are often congruent with citizens own ideas about health and illness.Despite this appreciation of CAM, citizens are also critical of CAM practice.• In assessing the safety and quality of CAM provision, citizens frequently draw on their own or others' personal experiences with CAM.They also stress the importance of transparency concerning CAM qualifications, and emphasise the need for increased and clear regulation and registration of all CAM providers.In addition, some citizens would like to be guided by biomedical professionals.Thus, although citizens' assessment of the safety and quality of CAM may differ from such assessments by
Source: Phaidra (Universität Wien)
Institution: University of Southern Denmark
Language: English
Subfield: Complementary and alternative medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: European Commission, FP7 Health
OpenAlex ID: W2193671045