The Australian health-care systems has expanded and changed remarkably in recent years (Ritenburgh C, Verhoel M et.al.) Medical practices outside the mainstream of ‘official’ medicine have always been an important part of public health care. The prominence and configuration of these irregulars as they were called, has waxed depending on the needs of the public, perceptions of modern medicine and the changing values of society (Kats DL, Williams AL et. al 2003) A survey conducted in 1994 revealed that reasons for alternative health care use included ‘a holistic orientation to health; having had a transformational experience that changed the person’s world view; and a classification in a cultural group identifiable by their commitment to environmentalism, commitment to feminism, and interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology’. Wolpe has suggested that as a society, ‘adults are not abdicating the role of modern biomedicine but rather are redefining biomedicine’s responsibility within the larger model of health care delivery’ (http://www.who.int/pdf/rcom51/rd/hsd-1e.pdf)
Other studies have reported patients’ perceived differences when comparing Traditional Medicine Practitioners with Medical Doctors. For example, some studies have found that patients value the counseling aspects of care exhibited by traditional medicine practitioners compared with the care provided by conventional medical doctors. These aspects of care include an improved explanation of illness and a willingness to discuss emotional factors, a better understanding of their problems and the therapists’ personal attention and expenditure of time (Ernst E, 2003). However, each of these perception warrants further qualitative study.
Alves argues that a majority of people seeking alternative medical therapies are those with chronic illnesses who believe that biomedicine does not have the effective treatments targeted for their conditions. One reason for this is that conventional medicine gives patients standardized treatments (drugs or surgery or both) and advice as to whether the patient fits into a number of broadly defined symptomatic categories and the treatment is ‘physician centred’. The Physician becomes the authority and usually the patients’ needs are not addressed which encourages patients to become passive (http://www.cancer-success.com/medicine_p.htm)
The increasing popularity of alternative health care reflects the changing needs and values in modern society in general (Moon G, Gillespie R, 1995). This includes a rise in prevalence of chronic diseases, an increase in public access to worldwide health information, reduced tolerance for paternalism, an increased sense of entitlement to quality life and in increased interest in spiritualism (Ritenburgh C, Verhoel M, 2003). A genuine interest in various traditional practices now exists among practitioners of modern medicine. General Practitioners are enmeshed in this social change and subject to the trend to greater choice for both their patients and their own. Recent articles indicate that 1 in 5 Victorian GPs are using complementary or alternative medicine in their practice and that 1 in 6 Australian GPs employed some form of complementary and alternative medicine (http://www.wpro.who.int/pdf/rcom51/rd/hsd-1e.pdf)
General Practitioners are responding to increasing consumer demand for these therapies because of their clinical success (http://www.wpro.who.int/pdf/rcom51/rd/hsd-1e.pdf) The second and more contentious finding is that consumers are demanding, and General Practitioners are using these therapies because of factors behind clinical success- factors related to gloabalisation and the characteristics of the global market. These market characteristics include increased consumer choice, increased competition among providers, a resultant power shift from provider to consumer, and a return to and commercialization of nature, history and tradition
However, Loustaunau M, Sobo E states that ‘due to the strong focus on the scientific aspect of biomedicine however, there has been until recently, very little research demonstrating the efficacy or benefits of non-biomedical therapeutic interventions, either alone or in combination with biomedical treatments and only limited attempts at incorporation of alternative values or care into care regimens’. Clearly, traditional medicine is widely used by the public and increased demands from the public lead to increased interest and involvement of the academic and scientific community. The rapid increase in public interest and use of complementary and alternative therapies is also exerting a powerful influence on medical education and has gained ground in Universities. Though many still argue that complementary and alternative medicine does not improve one’s health, more and more governments including the Australian government have shown their interest and willingness to promote the proper use of these therapies.
Throughout history, there have been differing meanings given to health. Consequently, ideas about how to maintain or create health have changed, swinging between practices which favour preventive ‘healthy living’ approaches to those emphasizing curative disease focused measures (Loustaunau M, Sobo E, 1997). To decide that the biomedical approach is suitable in all circumstances, for all people is unwise since the world is constantly changing. New health threats are constantly created, so medicine must adapt and find new and socially responsive ways of tackling suffering and disease. Defenders and practitioners of alternative medicine claim that their therapies are natural and holistic, whereas mainstream medicine is artificial, invasive and treats patients as diseases (Ernst E, 2003). However, making comparisons between modern medicine and traditional medicine serves only to reveal extreme ignorance about the fundamental revolution in science and medicine that has occurred in our society.
REFERENCES
Ernst E, Complementary Medicine: Where is the evidence?, Journal of Family Practice 52(8): 630-4, August 2003
Furnham Mcgill C, Medical students’ attitudes about complementary and alternative medicine, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 9(2): 275-84, April 2003
Kats DL, Williams AL et. al. ‘The evidence base for complementary and alternative medicine: methods of evidence mapping with application to CAM, Alternative Therapies in health and Medicine 9(9): 22-30, Jul-Aug 2003
Loustaunau M, Sobo E, The Cultural Context of Health, Illness and Medicine, 1997, USA
Moon G, Gillespie R, Society and Health, 1995, USA
Ritenburgh C Verchoel M Fleisham S et. al. Whole systems research: a discipline for studying complementary and alternative medicine, Alternative therapies in Health and Medicine 9(4): 32-6, July-Aug 2003
Alternative Therapies in health and Medicine: http://www.alternative-therapies.com [accessed: 10/09/2003]
Traditional Medicine: http://www.who-int/inf-fs/en/fact134.html [accessed: 10/09/2003]
Traditional and Modern Medicine: Harmonizing the 2 approaches: www.wpro.who.int/pdf/rcm51/rd/hsd-1e.pdf [accessed: 13/09/2003]
