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Research ArticleOriginal Research

What Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners Say About Health and Health Care

Bruce Barrett, Lucille Marchand, Jo Scheder, Diane Appelbaum, Mary Beth Plane, Joseph Blustein, Rob Maberry and Christina Capperino
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2004, 2 (3) 253-259; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.81
Bruce Barrett
MD, PhD
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Lucille Marchand
MD
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Jo Scheder
PhD
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Diane Appelbaum
RN, C-NP, MS
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Mary Beth Plane
MSSW, PHD
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Joseph Blustein
MD, MPH
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Rob Maberry
BA
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Christina Capperino
BS
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Tables

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    Table 1.

    Questions Asked in All Interviews

    What are the most common therapies you practice or prescribe?
    What are the most common presenting problems in your practice?
    Do you use CAM therapies exclusive of—or along with—conventional (allopathic) medicine?
    To what extent do you think the client’s own beliefs help in healing? How do you use these beliefs?
    How much attention do you give to family or social support networks of your client?
    How do you use these networks in helping your client?
    Would you like to work more closely with any other type of health practitioner? If so, what kind(s)?
    Under what circumstances do you consult with or refer to other practitioners?
    How is your practice similar to conventional (allopathic) medicine?
    How is your practice different from conventional medicine?
    What are the barriers you see existing between conventional and complementary medicine?
    How do you think alternative and conventional practitioners can work together better?
    What is your vision of the optimal health care system?
    • View popup
    Table 2.

    Characteristics of Study Practitioners

    CharacteristicsNumber
    Sex
    Male11
    Female21
    Age, years, mean (range)47.6 (31–62)
    Ethnicity
    White25
    Jewish2
    Asian2
    Unknown3
    Household income (thousands per year)
    $10 to <$203
    $20 to <$304
    $30 to <$5011
    $50 to <$753
    >$754
    Unknown7
    Modalities
    Acupuncture4
    Aromatherapy1
    Astrology2
    Chinese medicine3
    Chiropractic, holistic1
    Colonics1
    Energy healing1
    Feldenkrais2
    Flower remedies1
    Herbalism2
    Homeopathy2
    Massage3
    Medical intuition1
    Naturopathy1
    Rolfing1
    Shmanism1
    T’ai Chi1
    Touch1
    Trager1
    Yoga2
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    Table 3.

    Practice Characteristics Study Participants

    Practice CharacteristicsResponses*RangeMeanMedianSD
    * Several respondents could not or would not estimate these parameters for us.
    † Excludes 2 respondents who taught classes.
    Years practicing†251–25999.2
    Hours per session†240.08–2.01.11.04
    Clients per week†202–6020.12014
    Payment rate per visit ($)†240–188757040
    • View popup
    Table 4.

    Differences Between CAM and Conventional Medicine, and Barriers to Integration

    Conventional MedicineComplementary and Alternative Medicine
    Differences
    More reductionisticMore holistic
    More controllingMore empowering
    More deductiveMore inductive
    More generalizableMore individualistic
    More scientificMore intuitive
    Less time with patientMore time with client
    Barriers to Integration
    ArroganceLack of communication
    Belief of ineffectiveness of CAMLack of evidence of effectiveness
    CompetitionLack of legal recognition
    Costs and cost effectivenessLack of training
    DistrustPhilosophical differences
    Fear of liabilityPolitical pressures
    IgnorancePrejudice
    Momentum (habits and tradition)Profit motive
    Lack of availabilityTerritorialism

Additional Files

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  • The Article in Brief

    Practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine express a desire to work with physicians and other conventional clinicians. They believe that medicine should be more caring, patient-centered, empowering, and holistic.

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The Annals of Family Medicine: 2 (3)
The Annals of Family Medicine: 2 (3)
Vol. 2, Issue 3
1 May 2004
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What Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners Say About Health and Health Care
Bruce Barrett, Lucille Marchand, Jo Scheder, Diane Appelbaum, Mary Beth Plane, Joseph Blustein, Rob Maberry, Christina Capperino
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2004, 2 (3) 253-259; DOI: 10.1370/afm.81

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What Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners Say About Health and Health Care
Bruce Barrett, Lucille Marchand, Jo Scheder, Diane Appelbaum, Mary Beth Plane, Joseph Blustein, Rob Maberry, Christina Capperino
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2004, 2 (3) 253-259; DOI: 10.1370/afm.81
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