- Level: University Degree
- Subject: Subjects allied to Medicine
- Word count: 2328
The reasons for increased interest and use of complementary therapies are not well understand ,though many opinions have been offered .Some have suggested that the move towards complementary therapies represents a '' flight from science
Extracts from this document...
Introduction
Complementary Therapies Introduction: Complementary therapies in health care are not new. The use of herbs, oils, lying on of hands or the treatment of forms of energy within the human body appears to have existed in some form or another for thousands of year. Social trends and cultural change similarly influences a person's health care beliefs. As a result ,some health care practices such as herbalist or healing have been the object of persecution during certain periods of social history .Perhaps current health care trends demanding choice in health care treatment are simply social trends and a response to consumer desire in the search for the 'Panacea for all ills'. Interestingly the shift towards individualised forms of health care is not only occurring in one small area of western society but, according to the British Medical Association (BMA), a number of indicators suggest that there has been an increase in the use of non-conventional therapies not only in the UK but also in the US and in Europe. Additionally, the successful use of preventive medicine and enhanced quality of health in the West has resulted in an increasingly critical reflection of the way in which health and illness is perceived and care meted out when treating disorders. ...read more.
Middle
There was a significant positive association between Complementary therapy use and non-manual occupational class, years in education and income. Personal recommendation was the main reason for choosing a Complementary therapy practitioner, followed by a GP recommendation. Research shows that people with chronic health problems that are either partially or highly debilitating are more than twice as likely to seek out Complementary therapies as those with short-term acute conditions (Zollman and Vickers 1999c, Thomas et al. 2001). Those suffering from musculoskeletal problems such as back pain or osteoarthritis figure highest among the chronic sufferers who seek Complementary therapy in the UK. Those with other chronic conditions, such as depression, skin disorders, and allergies, and those with shorter term conditions such as viral infections and injuries are also users of Complementary therapy (Cerrato 2002, Zollman and Vickers 1999c, Austin 1998). For those with chronic health conditions, the choice to use Complementary therapy has usually come after they have explored the options offered by mainstream medicine, and have not found a solution or have faced adverse side effects (Rees and Weil 2001, Austin 1998). Research shows, however, that most users of Complementary therapy tend to use therapies in conjunction with orthodox medical care (Hanson 2003, Eisenberg 1998, Sharma 1995). ...read more.
Conclusion
An important but under-researched area is the extent to which Complementary therapies services and products are covered by public reimbursement. Reports suggest that in the UK the availability of Complementary therapies on the NHS is highly variable geographically and has also fluctuated with changes in purchaser organisations since the early 1990s. German data suggest that reimbursement has declined, with a number of products being removed from the list of reimbursable items by the statutory health insurance funds. Summary: Complementary and alternative medicine, as defined by NCCAM, is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Cultural ,educational and ideological factors effect choices ,but also access and availability ,as well, of course ,as the acute and chronic nature of their illness ,that is ,in some countries certain types of therapies abound ,which in others they are comparatively rare and highly thought of. Clearly a substantial and almost certainly growing minority of people consult complementary practitioners in Britain and other industrial countries such as Germany. The current climate towards CAM is different from a few years ago. The public is calling for broader healthcare choices and the new patient-centred NHS needs to deliver them. ...read more.
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Here's what a teacher thought of this essay
3 star(s)
It was unclear what the purpose of the essay was - the introduction provided did not explain it. The writer should explain to the reader what the aim of the work is; the arguments in the essay should then follow on from that. The writer was clearly aware of the various types of therapies and the different types of people who may take up their use.
With regard to the table that was used, it is important to use the data critically
Marked by teacher Diane Apeah-Kubi 08/10/2013
