420 research outputs found
a cross-sectional survey
Background Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used in
Germany, with some treatments eligible for health insurance reimbursements.
CAM encourages patients to play an active role in their healing process. The
belief that a person’s own behavior influences health is assessed as the
internal health locus of control (IHLOC). Studies on the association between
IHLOC and CAM use yield inconsistent results. Using various indicators of CAM
use, we evaluated whether there were differences in IHLOC between different
groups of CAM users. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted.
IHLOC was compared between participants with high and low appraisal of CAM,
between participants who used different types of medications (none, CAM,
conventional, both), and who consulted with different health care
professionals (none, CAM, conventional, both). Independent samples t-tests and
ANOVAs were conducted for the total group and for subgroups of chronically ill
and healthy participants. Post-hoc, we conducted a multivariate linear
regression evaluating which indicators of CAM use or other characteristics
showed the strongest association with IHLOC. Results A total of 1,054
undergraduate students completed the survey. Participants with high CAM
appraisal showed higher IHLOC than those with low CAM appraisal, regardless of
whether they were chronically ill (p < .001). Participants without chronic
conditions showed higher IHLOC when only using CAM medications than when using
either conventional medications alone or both conventional and CAM medications
(p < .05). All participants showed higher IHLOC when visiting only CAM
practitioners than when visiting either only conventional or both conventional
and CAM practitioners (p < .05). CAM appraisal was associated the strongest
with IHLOC in the linear regression model. Conclusions Generally, participants
using CAM more or exclusively, and participants with higher appraisal of CAM
showed higher IHLOC than those with less CAM use or lower CAM appraisal.
Because of the cross-sectional design, it is not possible to determine whether
differences in IHLOC are reasons for or consequences of CAM use. Research
using a longitudinal design is needed. The sample, though more representative
than most student samples, might not represent the general population. Studies
evaluating clinical populations might add to the finding
Changing Academic Medicine: Strategies Used by Academic Leaders of Integrative Medicine—A Qualitative Study
In Western countries, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is more and more provided by practitioners and family doctors. To base this reality of health care provision on an evidence-base, academic medicine needs to be included in the development. In the study we aimed to gain information on a structured approach to include CAM in academic health centers. We conducted a semistructured interview study with leading experts of integrative medicine to analyze strategies of existing academic institutions of integrative medicine. The study sample consisted of a purposive sample of ten leaders that have successfully integrated CAM into medical schools in the USA, Great Britain, and Germany and the Director of the National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Analysis was based on content analysis. The prerequisite to foster change in academic medicine was a strong educational and professional background in academic medicine and research methodologies. With such a skill set, the interviewees identified a series of strategies to align themselves with colleagues from conventional medicine, such as creating common goals, networking, and establishing well-functioning research teams. In addition, there must be a vision of what should be needed to be at the center of all efforts in order to implement successful change
a qualitative study
Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore women's motivations for
participating in a clinical trial and to evaluate how financial compensation
impacts women's explanations for participation. Design, setting and
participants: Semistructured interviews were conducted face to face or by
telephone with 25 of 220 women who participated in a pragmatic randomised
trial for app-administered self-care acupressure for dysmenorrhoea (AKUD). Of
these 25 women, 10 had entered AKUD knowing they would receive a financial
compensation of €30. A purposive sampling strategy was used. Results: Women
had a long history of seeking help and were unsatisfied with the options
available, namely painkillers and oral contraceptives. While interviewees were
open to painkillers, they were uneasy about taking them on a monthly basis.
The AKUD trial offered the possibility to find an alternative solution. A
second reason for participation was the desire to add a new treatment to
routine medical care, for which the interviewees considered randomised trials
a prerequisite. The financial incentive was a subsidiary motivation in the
interviewees' narratives. Conclusions: Our results contribute to the ongoing
discussion of the impact of financial compensation on research participants'
assessment of risk. The interviewed women considered all research participants
able to make their own choices regarding trial participation, even in the face
of financial compensation or payment of study participants. Furthermore, the
importance of clinical trials providing new treatments that could change
medical practice might be an overlooked reason for trial participation and
could be used in future recruitment strategies
A Retrospective Cost-Analysis Based on 44500 Insured Persons
Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the health care costs for
patients using additional homeopathic treatment (homeopathy group) with the
costs for those receiving usual care (control group). Methods Cost data
provided by a large German statutory health insurance company were
retrospectively analysed from the societal perspective (primary outcome) and
from the statutory health insurance perspective. Patients in both groups were
matched using a propensity score matching procedure based on socio-demographic
variables as well as costs, number of hospital stays and sick leave days in
the previous 12 months. Total cumulative costs over 18 months were compared
between the groups with an analysis of covariance (adjusted for baseline
costs) across diagnoses and for six specific diagnoses (depression, migraine,
allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and headache). Results Data from
44,550 patients (67.3% females) were available for analysis. From the societal
perspective, total costs after 18 months were higher in the homeopathy group
(adj. mean: EUR 7,207.72 [95% CI 7,001.14–7,414.29]) than in the control group
(EUR 5,857.56 [5,650.98–6,064.13]; p<0.0001) with the largest differences
between groups for productivity loss (homeopathy EUR 3,698.00
[3,586.48–3,809.53] vs. control EUR 3,092.84 [2,981.31–3,204.37]) and
outpatient care costs (homeopathy EUR 1,088.25 [1,073.90–1,102.59] vs. control
EUR 867.87 [853.52–882.21]). Group differences decreased over time. For all
diagnoses, costs were higher in the homeopathy group than in the control
group, although this difference was not always statistically significant.
Conclusion Compared with usual care, additional homeopathic treatment was
associated with significantly higher costs. These analyses did not confirm
previously observed cost savings resulting from the use of homeopathy in the
health care system
Integrative Medizin: Fußreflexzonenmassage hilft onkologischen Patient*innen bei Schmerzen
Background: Pain and nausea affect a significant number of patients with cancer. Applying foot reflexology to this population has had some positive effects, but more studies are needed to confirm its efficacy. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of foot reflexology on pain and nausea among inpatients with cancer as compared to traditional nursing care alone. Methods: A pilot study was conducted with adult patients with cancer hospitalized on a 24-bed inpatient oncology unit. Using convenience sampling, 40 patients provided consent and were randomized into either the intervention or control group. Each group had a treatment session of 20-25 minutes in which pre- and postsession surveys were completed, with reflexology performed in the intervention group only. Findings: Results show that foot reflexology significantly decreases pain for inpatients with cancer as compared to traditional nursing care alone. Although the effects on nausea are not statistically significant, they may be clinically relevant; the mean changes in pre- and postsession nausea ratings indicate at least some decreased nausea among patients in the intervention group
Long-term economic outcomes
Objectives: This study aimed to provide a long-term cost comparison of
patients using additional homeopathic treatment (homeopathy group) with
patients using usual care (control group) over an observation period of 33
months. Methods: Health claims data from a large statutory health insurance
company were analysed from both the societal perspective (primary outcome) and
from the statutory health insurance perspective (secondary outcome). To
compare costs between patient groups, homeopathy and control patients were
matched in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores. Predictor variables for the
propensity scores included health care costs and both medical and demographic
variables. Health care costs were analysed using an analysis of covariance,
adjusted for baseline costs, between groups both across diagnoses and for
specific diagnoses over a period of 33 months. Specific diagnoses included
depression, migraine, allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and
headache. Results: Data from 21,939 patients in the homeopathy group (67.4%
females) and 21,861 patients in the control group (67.2% females) were
analysed. Health care costs over the 33 months were 12,414 EUR [95% CI
12,022–12,805] in the homeopathy group and 10,428 EUR [95% CI 10,036–10,820]
in the control group (p<0.0001). The largest cost differences were attributed
to productivity losses (homeopathy: EUR 6,289 [6,118–6,460]; control: EUR
5,498 [5,326–5,670], p<0.0001) and outpatient costs (homeopathy: EUR 1,794
[1,770–1,818]; control: EUR 1,438 [1,414–1,462], p<0.0001). Although the costs
of the two groups converged over time, cost differences remained over the full
33 months. For all diagnoses, homeopathy patients generated higher costs than
control patients. Conclusion: The analysis showed that even when following-up
over 33 months, there were still cost differences between groups, with higher
costs in the homeopathy group
study protocol for two randomized pragmatic trials
Background Chronic low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) are highly prevalent
conditions resulting in high economic costs. Treatment guidelines recommend
relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, as adjuvant
therapies. Self-care interventions could have the potential to reduce costs in
the health care system, but their effectiveness, especially in a usual care
setting, is unclear. The aim of these two pragmatic randomized studies is to
evaluate whether an additional app-delivered relaxation is more effective in
the reduction of chronic LBP or NP than usual care alone. Methods/design Each
pragmatic randomized two-armed study aims to include a total of 220 patients
aged 18 to 65 years with chronic (>12 weeks) LBP or NP and an average pain
intensity of ≥ 4 on a numeric rating scale (NRS) in the 7 days before
recruitment. The participants will be randomized into an intervention and a
usual care group. The intervention group will be instructed to practice one of
these 3 relaxation techniques on at least 5 days/week for 15 minutes/day over
a period of 6 months starting on the day of randomization: autogenic training,
mindfulness meditation, or guided imagery. Instructions and exercises will be
provided using a smartphone app, baseline information will be collected using
paper and pencil. Follow-up information (daily, weekly, and after 3 and 6
months) will be collected using electronic diaries and questionnaires included
in the app. The primary outcome measure will be the mean LBP or NP intensity
during the first 3 months of intervention based on daily pain intensity
measurements on a NRS (0 = no pain, 10 = worst possible pain). The secondary
outcome parameters will include the mean pain intensity during the first 6
months after randomization based on daily measurements, the mean pain
intensity measured weekly as the average pain intensity of the previous 7 days
over 3 and 6 months, pain acceptance, ‘LBP- and NP-related’ stress, sick leave
days, pain medication intake, adherence, suspected adverse reaction, and
serious adverse events. Discussion The designed studies reflect a usual self-
care setting and will provide evidence on a pragmatic self-care intervention
that is easy to combine with care provided by medical professionals
Perceived outcomes of spiritual healing: results from a prospective case series
BACKGROUND:
The aims of this pilot study were to observe perceived outcomes of spiritual healing in Germany.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
In this prospective case study, we performed qualitative interviews with clients and healers about perceived outcomes of spiritual healing treatments. A directed qualitative content analysis was used. In addition, we applied questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Sense of Coherence 13, SpREUK-15, intensity of complaints on visual analogue scale) at baseline and after week 1, month 2 and month 6 which were analysed descriptively.
RESULTS:
Seven healers and 7 clients participated, 42 interviews were analysed. In the interviews, the clients described positive body sensations, greater relaxation and well-being as short-term effects of healing treatments. Perceived longer-term effects were related to making significant life changes, creating new meanings, activating resources and improving social relationships. Patients in pain described a reduction of pain intensity. In the questionnaires, the clients reported improvements in quality of life and self-efficacy, to a smaller extent improvements of intensity of complaints and sense of coherence.
CONCLUSION:
The results from this pilot study could be useful to choose outcomes of future prospective studies with a larger sample: qualitative assessments combined with global and broad quantitative outcomes such as quality of life, self-efficacy and intensity of complaints could be applied
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