WEEK 9 Flashcards
What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
A broad set of healthcare practices that are not part of that country’s own tradition and are not integrated into the dominant healthcare system
Where does CAM sit in Kleinman’s model?
In both the folk and professional sectors and the popular sector due to information about these forms of medicine being passed on by the lay public
What is integrative medicine?
Where complementary and orthodox medicine intertwine
Define pluralism
The concept of more than one route of treatment and freedom to choose
What is Complementary Medicine?
When a non-mainstream practice is used together with conventional medicine
What is Alternative Medicine?
When a non-mainstream practice is used instead of conventional medicine
Where are rates of CAM usage higher?
Amongst those with chronic and difficult to manage disease (eg. cancer, HIV, MS, psoriasis etc)
What are the factors facilitating the growth of interest in use of CAM?
1) Popular dissatisfaction with orthodox medicine
2) Post-modern philosophy rejection (scientific authority, increase in consumerism)
3) Widespread availability and access to health information
What are the different types of CAM (via National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH))?
Alternative medical systems Mind-Body therapies Natural products Manipulative and Body-Based methods Energy therapies
What are alternative medical systems?
Build upon complete systems of theory and practice (eg. homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine)
What are mind-body therapies?
Use a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect body functions and symptoms (eg. meditation, prayer)
What are natural products?
Use of natural substances (eg. dietary supplements, herbal products)
What are manipulative and body-based methods?
Movement of one or more parts of the body (eg. chiropractic, osteopathy)
What are energy therapies?
Involve the use of energy fields (eg. Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Biomagnetic-based therapies)
What is the House of Lords Report classification of CAM therapies (2000)?
CAM therapies arranged into groups (1-3(a+b)) based on the evidence from research studies available
Give examples of Group 1 CAM therapies
Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Osteopathy
What is acupuncture?
Inserting needles into body’s energy field
What is homeopathy?
Giving a small dose of a substance that stimulates symptom repulsion
Give examples of Group 2 CAM therapies
Alexander Technique, Hypnotherapy, Counselling Stress Therapy, Meditation
What is the Alexander Technique?
Correcting posture
What is a use of hypnotherapy?
To treat refractory IBS
Give examples of Group 3 (a+b) CAM therapies
Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, Dowsing, Iridology
Why is Traditional Chinese Medicine in Group 3 for CAM therapies?
There are no English research studies
What is iridology?
Diagnosis via iris colour and appearance
What is dowsing?
Use of a two-prong twig indicative of water to highlight body problems
What are seven characteristics of CAM users?
1) Female gender
2) Middle-aged
3) Higher socioeconomic group
4) Higher level of education
5) High income
6) Regional differences (South of England)
7) Poorer self-reported health
What are four recognised patterns of use of complementary medicine?
Earnest seeker, stable users, eclectic users and one-off users
What are earnest seekers?
People who have an intractable health problem for which they try many forms of treatment
What are stable users?
People who either use one type of therapy for most healthcare problems or have one main condition for which they use a regular package
What are eclectic users?
People who choose and use different forms of therapy depending on individual problems and circumstances
What are six positive reasons causing people to use CAM?
1) perceived effectiveness
2) perceived safety
3) control over treatment
4) ‘high tough/low tech’
5) good Pt/therapist relationship
6) non-invasive nature
What are four negative reasons causing people to use CAM?
1) dissatisfaction with conventional healthcare
2) rejection of science and technology
3) rejection of ‘the establishment’
4) desparation
Describe the 5 stage process of becoming a CAM user
1) individual develops a nature centred and holistic health philosophy
2) decision to visit CAM therapist
3) satisfaction with Pt-practitioner encounter
4) cultivation of culture of natural health care
5) individual becomes a regular user with firm belief in therapy (doesn’t completely disregard orthodox medicine)
Give six areas of potential controversy of CAM?
1) Information widely available to the lay public
2) Treatment widely available to the lay public OTC
3) Training in CAM: in-depth lay therapist training vs. short course for doctors
4) Effects on Dr-Pt relationship
5) Adverse effects/interactions with orthodox treatment
6) Evidence base-> cure vs. ‘feeling better’ (coping with symptoms)
