Complementary therapies: have they become accepted in general practice?

• DOI: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2000.tb127932.x
• Publication Date: 2019-09-24T07:17:23Z
• Authors: Marie V Pirotta; Stephen J Farish; Marc M Cohen; Vicki Kotsirilos
• Keywords: Reflexology; Naturopathy; Osteopathy; Aromatherapy

Objectives To describe Victorian general practitioners'attitudes towards and use of a range complementary therapies. Design A self-administered postal survey sent to random sample 800 practitioners (GPs) in Victoria July 1997. Participants 488 GPs (response rate, 64%). Main outcome measures GPs'knowledge; opinions about harmfulness effectiveness; appropriateness for practise; perceived patient demand; need undergraduate education; referral rates practitioners; training practice each therapy. Results Acupuncture, hypnosis meditation are well accepted by the surveyed GPs, as over 80% have referred patients these therapies nearly half considered using them. General trained various — (34%), acupuncture (23%), vitamin mineral therapy (20%), herbal medicine (12%), chiropractic (8%), naturopathy (6%), homoeopathy (5%), spiritual healing osteopathy (4%), aromatherapy reflexology (2%). quarter third were interested chiropractic, medicine, appear underestimate their patients'use Conclusions There is evidence Australia widespread acceptance acupuncture, meditation, lesser other These findings generate an urgent therapies'effectiveness.