Therapeutic itinerary of patients with chronic low-back pain attending outpatient physiotherapy clinic

Objective: to assess therapeutic itinerary of patients with chronic low-back pain. Methods: qualitative study involving the use of an in-depth semi structured interviews were used to collect data on therapeutic itinerary among ten patients with chronic low-back pain who from physiotherapy clinic of a tertiary hospital. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: emerging themes were as follows: onset of low-back pain, symptoms that initiated the journey for care, steps taken to find pain relief, respondent’s perception on care received, interference of chronic low-back pain with normal life, family and relations, multiple practices in which chronic low-back pain patients are involved, perception of effectiveness of the multiple practices, and hurdles to seeking care. Conclusion: patients with chronic low-back pain take different routes in search of care. Chronic low-back pain markedly altered patients’ life and made them prone to practicing medical pluralism.

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Alternative/Traditional/Folk Healthcare Practitioners

Using data from International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), the principal aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural comparision of medical pluralism in Eastern and Western European countries. In Easterne Europe, a total of 531 (5.5%) respondents reported and alternative/traditional/folk (A/T/F) healthcare practitioner visit during preceding 12 months, the results of the survey showed that in Western Europe, similar visits were reported by 17,881 (11.6%) individuals. In the Western region of Europe, CAM methods either provide a coping strategy for those on low incomes, with limited access to conventional healthcare or an alterantive option for members of the younger generation. However, in the Eastern region, A/T/F practitioners are mostly visited by city dwellers, who have a higher socio-economic status, a relatively high level of trust in physicians. <br>

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Alternative/Traditional/Folk Healthcare Practitioners

Using data from International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), the principal aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural comparision of medical pluralism in Eastern and Western European countries. In Easterne Europe, a total of 531 (5.5%) respondents reported and alternative/traditional/folk (A/T/F) healthcare practitioner visit during preceding 12 months, the results of the survey showed that in Western Europe, similar visits were reported by 17,881 (11.6%) individuals. In the Western region of Europe, CAM methods either provide a coping strategy for those on low incomes, with limited access to conventional healthcare or an alterantive option for members of the younger generation. However, in the Eastern region, A/T/F practitioners are mostly visited by city dwellers, who have a higher socio-economic status, a relatively high level of trust in physicians. <br>

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Alternative/Traditional/Folk Healthcare Practitioners

Using data from International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), the principal aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural comparision of medical pluralism in Eastern and Western European countries. In Easterne Europe, a total of 531 (5.5%) respondents reported and alternative/traditional/folk (A/T/F) healthcare practitioner visit during preceding 12 months, the results of the survey showed that in Western Europe, similar visits were reported by 17,881 (11.6%) individuals. In the Western region of Europe, CAM methods either provide a coping strategy for those on low incomes, with limited access to conventional healthcare or an alterantive option for members of the younger generation. However, in the Eastern region, A/T/F practitioners are mostly visited by city dwellers, who have a higher socio-economic status, a relatively high level of trust in physicians. <br>

Beyond Medical Pluralism

Medical pluralism does not only mean the presence of multiple therapies but also the variety of health discourses and norms. By analysing the rhetoric of active participants in the Estonian health field, we portray the diverse discourses in defining and positioning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in relation to biomedicine (BM). On a scale of attitudes, five different positions of CAM and BM emerge. Both ends of the spectrum dominantly represent a system-level view characterized by distinct categories, opposition, and labelling. In between, integrative positions focus more on an individual’s personal needs by combining and “taking the best out of” all available knowledge systems. The presence of these competing discourses poses several challenges for health communication. Meanings offered by CAM-related health approaches are increasingly visible and influential as unlicensed health workers and laypeople contribute more to public communication due to the openness of social media. On the other hand, critics of CAM and proponents of scientific thinking have mobilized to set boundaries to defend the authoritative position of scientific medicine. Our analysis suggests that using system-level categories supports polarization, which could lead people to seek alternative explanations based on their individual experiences, and thus feeding distrust towards medicine and doctors.

Patterns and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use in people presenting with the non-communicable disease in an urban health facility, North India

Background: The rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a threat to India. Increasingly, individuals interested in improving their health and making healthy lifestyle changes are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a health-care option.Design and Methods: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, pattern, and predictor of alternative medicine use among NCDs patients undergoing allopathic treatment in an urban health centre. The study design was a hospital-based cross-sectional study, which was done in a government hospital, Srinagar, Pauri District, Uttarakhand, India among adult males and females aged above 20 years. The patients having NCDs were systematically sampled.Result: Among 233 studied patients 57.1% were males. The mean age of the patients was 55.8 years (SD 13.5). Of the total studied patients 46.8% were diagnosed with DM, and 43.8% of HTN. Nearly one-fifth of the patients were known to have a CVD or COPD. A total of 49.8% of the studied NCD patients reported use of both allopathic and alternative medicine treatment and nearly 3.4% of the studied NCD patients in the last one year to seek exclusive alternative medicine treatment. The overall use of exclusive alternative medicine was low that is 3.7%, 1.0%, and 5% in diabetes, hypertension, and chronic lung disease patients, respectively. The most common form of alternative medicine used by studied patients was medicinal herbs/biological-based medicine (MB) (62.9%). Among MB commonly used were a bitter gourd, aloe vera, and others. 29.8% of the patients used Indian/Ayurveda medicine in total.Conclusions: The use of exclusive alternative medicine is low in adult patients with NCD. However, medical pluralism is prevalent. A better understanding of practices especially that focuses on alternative medicine needs a qualitative study, which was beyond the scope of this study.