Positive Health Online

Abstract

CALDERON, Centro de Salud de Gomez de Alza, Donostia-San Sebastian explored views of Primary Care and Homoeopathic physicians in the same area regarding their attitudes towards Homoeopathy as a discipline and motives which bring patients to use its services.

Background

Methodology

This qualitative study used in-depth interviews and a focus group and took place within a community of 18,000 people with a Health Centre and 4 homoeopathic physicians. The 4 homoeopathic physicians and 9 of the 10 doctors participated in the study. Following face-to-face and telephone interviews later on, each of the 4 homoeopathic physicians was interviewed at length; the author led a focus group with the 9 doctors from the Health Centre.

Results

The homoeopaths emphasised an integrated patient-centred approach, insisted upon their status as doctors and asserted that their treatment was not iatrogenic . The Primary Care doctors were ignorant of Homoeopathy, they identified it with a type of remedy of which they knew nothing but for which they demanded scientific evidence.

Conclusion

Primary Care doctors' ignorance of Homoeopathy places them at risk of not understanding patients' expectations. It appears that the patient-centred, as opposed to disease-centred healthcare model is outside the scope of Primary Care health delivery .

References

Calderon C. Homeopathic and primary care doctors: how they see each other and how they see their patients: results of a qualitative investigation. Aten Primaria 21(6): 367-75. 15 Apr 1998.