The interface with naturopathy in rural primary health care: a survey of referral practices of general practitioners in rural and regional New South Wales, Australia

What is integrative medicine? Establishing the decision criteria for an operational definition of integrative medicine for general practice health services research in Australia

Background

Operational definitions outline how a conceptual definition will be measured for consistent, reproducible data collection and analysis. This article reports the decision criteria that will be used for an operational definition of integrative medicine (IM) in a secondary analysis of an Australian national survey of general practitioner activity.

Methods

A multidisciplinary team applied an iterative approach, informed by expert knowledge and literature reviews to establish decision criteria for categorizing the terms in the Australian clinical interface terminology of the International Classification of Primary Care, second edition (ICPC-2 PLUS) and the Coding Atlas for Pharmaceutical Substances, according to whether they reflected IM, conventional/mainstream medicine (MM), or both IM and MM (IM/MM).

Results

The final decision criteria categorized all terms for examinations, investigations, advice/counselling, and drugs with synthetic ingredients, and terms for referrals to secondary care services and healthcare practitioners that are not a traditional or complementary medicine practitioner as MM. Terms that could apply to both styles of clinical practice (e.g., preventive health, lifestyle medicine, psychosocial and some drugs with natural ingredients) were categorised as IM/MM. The remaining terms, that mostly reflected the World Health Organization's theoretical definitions of traditional and complementary medicine, were categorized as IM.

Conclusion

Differentiating between integrative and conventional/mainstream medicine in general practice is context specific and not always possible. The category IM/MM proposes integrative medicine as an extension, rather than an alternative. The rationale for the integrative medicine operational definition has relevance for researchers and health services in Australia, and internationally.

Naturopathic knowledge and approaches to managing endometriosis: a cross-sectional survey of naturopaths with experience in endometriosis care

OBJECTIVES

Endometriosis is a chronic gynaecological disease with varying symptomatology and negative health outcomes. To ensure the best care for women with endometriosis, women require a multidisciplinary team approach. While some women consult with naturopaths for endometriosis, there has been little research on naturopathic knowledge and the naturopathic approach to endometriosis care.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey recruited naturopaths with experience in menstrual disorders from the Practitioner Research and Collaboration Initiative (PRACI) a Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN). Data collection was conducted via an online self-administrated 62-item questionnaire.

RESULTS

Invitations were sent to 109 naturopaths who self-reported having experience in menstrual disorders, of whom 29 completed the survey (26.6% response rate). Naturopaths perceived endometriosis to be caused by inflammation (n=28, 96.5%) and risk factors associated with familial history (n=26, 89.6%). Many naturopaths aimed at reducing inflammation (n=27, 93.1%) and supporting gastrointestinal function (n=25, 86.2%) in their prescriptions. Naturopaths reported using various healthcare referrals to support women with endometriosis, primarily general practitioners (n=12, 41.3%), acupuncturists/Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners (n=11, 37.9%), and gynaecologists (n=9, 31%). Naturopaths reported receiving referrals from general practitioners (n=8, 27.5%) and psychologists (n=6, 20.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Naturopathic knowledge and management of endometriosis targets known problematic areas of endometriosis that can have debilitating effects on women's quality of life. Naturopathic care has the potential to align with important health outcomes for women with endometriosis however, further attention is needed to assess the effectiveness and continue to establish a multidisciplinary approach involving naturopathic care.

Stakeholder attitudes to the regulation of traditional and complementary medicine professions: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

There has been a considerable increase in the number of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) practitioners over the past 20 years and in some jurisdictions are estimated to outnumber general practitioners. Despite this globally significant role, it is apparent that worldwide not all T&CM professions operate under adequate accountability and regulatory oversight for maintaining public protection. To date there has been no published systematic examination of stakeholder opinions regarding regulated and unregulated T&CM occupations. In response, this review aims to investigate, describe, and analyse attitudes held by a range of stakeholder groups towards the regulation of T&CM professions.

METHODS

A database search of AMED, CINAHL, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was conducted for original research published between 2000 and 2020 on stakeholder opinions regarding the regulation of T&CM professions.

RESULTS

Sixty studies across 15 countries reported on the views of six health care stakeholder groups: consumers, T&CM practitioners, conventional medicine practitioners, professional associations, education providers, and policy-makers. Across all stakeholder groups there was between 15% and 95% (median 61%) support for, and 1% to 57% (median 14%) opposition to the regulation of various T&CM professions. The main reasons for supporting regulation included providing greater public protection, raising training and practice standards, establishing title protection, and gaining acceptance from conventional medicine providers. Concerns regarding regulation included potential restrictions to practice, misappropriation of practice, and medical oversight of T&CM practitioners. Few studies canvassed the views of professional associations (n = 6), education providers (n = 2), and policy-makers (n = 2).

CONCLUSIONS

There appears to be broad support for the regulation of T&CM professions, although there was wide variation in attitudes as to how this should be applied. Further research, with a particular focus on policy-makers, education providers, and professional associations, is critical to inform appropriate health policy and practice recommendations relating to T&CM professional regulation across jurisdictions. Systematic review registration: the a priori protocol for this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO and is available at: www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42020198767 .

Oral Chinese Herbal Medicine as Prophylactic Treatment for Episodic Migraine in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

The prophylactic effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for migraine were examined in numerous clinical trials. This review aimed to analyze the effectiveness and safety of CHM as prophylactic treatment of migraine compared to flunarizine.

METHODS

Nine databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated effects of CHM for episodic migraine prophylaxis compared to flunarizine, published before March 2019.

RESULTS

Thirty-five RCTs with 2,840 participants met the inclusion criteria, and 31 of them were included in meta-analyses. The overall meta-analysis indicated that, when compared to flunarizine, CHM reduced the frequency of migraine attacks at the end of treatment (EoT) (21 studies, mean difference (MD) -1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-1.69, -0.76)) and at the end of follow-up (EoFU) (five studies, MD -0.96, 95% CI (-1.70, -0.21)). Subgroup analyses based on the treatment duration, follow-up duration, and the dosage of flunarizine showed that CHM was superior to or comparable with flunarizine in reducing migraine frequency. Similar results were also found for secondary outcomes such as the pain visual analogue scale, migraine duration, responder rate, and acute medication usage. In particular, the studies that used CHM containing herb pairs (Chuan Xiong plus Bai Zhi and Chuan Xiong plus Tian Ma) showed promising results. However, the certainty of this evidence was evaluated as "low" or "very low" using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach.

CONCLUSION

CHM appeared to be comparable with flunarizine in reducing the frequency of episodic migraine attacks in adults at EoT and EoFU and well-tolerated by participants, regardless of the treatment duration, follow-up duration, and dosage of flunarizine. Due to the low certainty of the evidence, the suggested promising prophylactic outcomes require higher quality evidence from further rigorous RCTs.

Providing maternity care from outside the system: perspectives of complementary medicine practitioners

One in two women in Australia use complementary medicine (CM) during pregnancy including consulting with CM practitioners for pregnancy-related health concerns. Yet, very little is known about the everyday care and practice of this group of health professionals as it relates to the provision of care to childbearing women. As such, this study aims to examine the perceptions and experiences of CM practitioners who provide care to childbearing women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 practitioners from six CM professions (acupuncturists, doulas, chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths, and osteopaths) who identified as providing care to pregnant and birthing women in their clinical practice. The participants described professional issues affecting their provision of care to childbearing women including scope of practice, regulation and standards, and practice-specific issues, all of which they linked back to their profession and the reputation of their profession among other health professionals and the community. The study results draw attention to the importance of considering the perspectives of CM maternity care providers and place on interprofessional collaboration, as well as the barriers they face to achieving this collaboration. The insights afforded by this study have the capacity to inform new policy and practice initiatives to support improved interprofessional maternity care.

Overview of international naturopathic practice and patient characteristics: results from a cross-sectional study in 14 countries

Background

Naturopathy is a distinct system of traditional and complementary medicine recognized by the World Health Organization and defined by its philosophic approach to patient care, rather than the treatments used by practitioners. Worldwide, over 98 countries have practicing naturopaths, representing 36% of all countries and every world region. The contributions of naturopaths to healthcare delivery services internationally has not been previously examined. Thus, the primary intention of this research was to conduct an international survey of naturopathic practice and patient characteristics in order to gain insight to the breadth of their practices and the type of clinical conditions routinely encountered.

Methods

The cross-sectional study was conducted in naturopathic clinics in 14 countries within 4 world regions including the European (Portugal, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain), Americas (Canada, United States, Chile, Brazil), Western Pacific (Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand) and African (South Africa). Naturopathic practitioners in each country were invited to prospectively complete an online survey for 20 consecutive cases. The survey was administered in four languages.

Results

A total of 56 naturopaths from 14 countries participated in the study, providing a mean of 15.1 cases each (SD 7.6) and 851 cases in total. Most patients were female (72.6%) and all age categories were represented with a similar proportion for 36–45 years (20.2%), 46–55 years (19.5%), and 56–65 years (19.3%). A substantial majority (75%) of patients were considered by the participant to be presenting with chronic health conditions. The most prevalent category of health conditions were musculoskeletal (18.5%), gastrointestinal (12.2%), and mental illness (11.0%). The most common treatment categories prescribed or recommended to patients by the participants were dietary changes (60.5%), lifestyle and behaviour changes (56.9%), herbal medicines (54.2%) and nutritional supplements (52.1%). Many patients were known by participants to be receiving care from a general practitioner (43.2%) or a specialist medical practitioner (27.8%).

Conclusions

Naturopathic practitioners provide health care for diverse health conditions in patients in different age groups. The global population would benefit from researchers and policy makers paying closer attention to the potential risks, benefits, challenges and opportunities of the provision of naturopathic care within the community.

The Role and Influence of Traditional and Scientific Knowledge in Naturopathic Education: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the perceptions, experiences, and attitudes toward scientific and traditional knowledge within contemporary naturopathic education.

DESIGN

A qualitative focus group and semistructured individual interview study.

SETTINGS/LOCATION

Naturopathic educational organizations and institutions in North America (United States/Canada) and Australia.

SUBJECTS

Seven focus groups (three in Australia and four in the United States/Canada) involving a total of 29 students, and one-on-one interviews with 28 faculty and professional leaders of the naturopathic profession from Australia, Canada, and the United States.

RESULTS

Four themes have been identified in this study, including finding the balance between traditional and scientific knowledge; supporting the balance through critical appraisal in the curriculum; the exception of traditional knowledge in the critical gaze; and focusing on critical thinking in the naturopathic curriculum. Both naturopathic students and leaders highlight the significance of balancing tradition and science in the naturopathic educational context, although they hold diverse differing viewpoints. The importance of critical appraisal skills as well as the differentiation between critical thinking and critical appraisal have also been emphasized by participants with regard to the future development of naturopathic curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study focusing on the interface between traditional and scientific knowledge within the naturopathic education setting. The development of a framework for the critical appraisal of traditional naturopathic knowledge is required to help navigate the variety of knowledge sources available to naturopathic students and to help deliver the best outcomes for their future clinical practice.

Naturopathy in Australia: Where are we now? Where are we heading?

Naturopathy is the general practice of natural therapies. It emphasizes prevention, treatment, and promotion of optimal health through therapeutic modalities which encourage the self-healing process of the body. Formalized in the 19th century by the hydrotherapy and nature cure movement in Austria and Germany, naturopathy was introduced to Australia at the turn of the 20th century. It became popular since the 1970s due to social and cultural change characterized by the post-modern philosophy, as well as government policies highlighting individual responsibility and freedom of choice. Naturopathy is one of the most popular forms of complementary medicine in Australia today with naturopaths received 4.9 million consultations annually. Naturopathic consultations are sought for a variety of conditions and, in some areas, as a form of primary care, especially by middle-aged women who have a higher education level and a higher annual income. The number of Australian naturopaths was estimated to be over 4000 in 2017 and expects to grow to over 4600 by 2022, although this number is likely to be an underestimation. Australian naturopaths, as a predominantly female profession, work mainly in private clinical practice with nutritional medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathy, as well as massage therapies being the most common modalities used. There are also signs of greater integration with community pharmacies and integrative medicine clinics in major cities. The Bachelor's degree programs in Naturopathy has just become the only accredited entry-level qualification since late 2015. Currently, there are only 5 private colleges offering naturopathic education, a far cry from the 40 over in mid-2000. The profession continues to be self-regulated. There is no barrier of entry to practice and unqualified practitioners of naturopathy can potentially do harm to the public. The registration of naturopaths remains unresolved due to fragmented representation under many professional associations, disunity among the profession, and objections by certain health care lobbyists. There is a dearth of research demonstrating efficacy of the whole practice of naturopathy in Australia, which has directed the government's decision to withdraw it from private health insurance coverage from 2019. Moving forward, the whole system research of naturopathy in Australia will be in focus with the recent establishment of a practice-based research network and an international research consortium. With increasing scrutiny from evidence-based medicine, the present and future challenge to Australian naturopaths is centered on the integration of both scientific and traditional evidence to form the foundation of a person-centered, evidence-informed practice.

Primary care practitioner perceptions and attitudes of complementary medicine: a content analysis of free-text responses from a survey of non-metropolitan Australian general practitioners

AimThis study examines GP perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of complementary medicine (CM), and to understand contextual factors that influence these perceptions, attitudes and knowledge.

BACKGROUND

CM use is increasing, and its influence on primary care becoming increasingly significant. Although general practitioners (GPs) often have central primary care gate-keeper roles within health systems, few studies have looked specifically at GPs' perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of CM.

METHODS

A questionnaire was mailed to all 1486 GPs registered as practicing in non-metropolitan areas of New South Wales. The survey included one free-text qualitative question, where respondents were invited to highlight issues associated with CM in their own words. Free-text responses were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis.FindingsIn total, 585 GPs responded to the survey (adjusted response rate 40.1%), with 152 (26.0%) filling in the free-text question. Central themes which emerged were risk as a primary concern; opposition to, resistance to and the inappropriateness of complementary therapies; struggles with complexity and ambivalent tolerance.

CONCLUSION

GPs in Australia have a wide variety of perceptions toward CM. A minority of GPs have absolute views on CM, with most GPs having numerous caveats and qualifications of individual CM. Efficacy is only one aspect of CM critically evaluated by GPs when gauging support for individual therapies - risk, alignment with medical principles and an openness to exploring new avenues of treatment where others have failed, all appear to be equally important considerations when GPs form their views around CM.

Associations between complementary medicine utilization and influenza/pneumococcal vaccination: Results of a national cross-sectional survey of 9151 Australian women

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for all adults, with older adults considered a high-risk group for targeted intervention. As such it is important for factors affecting vaccine uptake in this group to be examined. Complementary medicine (CM) use has been suggested as a possible factor associated with lower vaccination uptake. To determine if associations exist between influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in older Australian women and the use of CM, data from women aged 62-67years surveyed as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) were analyzed in 2013 regarding their health and health care utilization. Associations between the uptake of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations and the use of CM were analyzed in 2016 using chi-squared tests and multiple logistic regression modelling. Of the 9151 women, 65.6% and 17.7% reported that they had influenza and pneumococcal vaccination within the past 3years respectively. Regression analyses show that women who consulted naturopaths/herbalists (OR=0.64) and other CM practitioners (OR=0.64) were less likely to have vaccination (influenza only), as were women who used yoga (OR=0.77-0.80) and herbal medicines (OR=0.78-0.83) (influenza and pneumococcal). Conversely, women using vitamin supplements were more likely to receive either vaccination (OR=1.17-1.24) than those not using vitamin supplements. The interface between CM use and influenza and pneumococcal vaccination uptake in older women appears complex, multi-factorial and often highly individualized and there is a need for further research to provide a rich examination of the decision-making and motivations of stakeholders around this important public health topic.

Naturopaths in Ontario, Canada: geographic patterns in intermediately-sized metropolitan areas and integration implications

Evaluating conventional medicine (CM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with respect to integration opportunities (such as patient referrals and professional knowledge sharing) and possible geographic implications is novel. This research utilizes nearest neighbour and local spatial autocorrelation statistical analyses and surveys directed towards Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine (NDs) and their patients to better understand the geographic patterns of NDs and potential integration qualities. While the statistical tests reveal that the offices of NDs and Doctors of Medicine (MDs) display clustered patterns in intermediately-sized census metropolitan areas in Ontario and that the majority of NDs are near MDs, proximity is not manifesting in discernible integration tendencies between NDs and MDs. The NDs polled were strongly in favour of greater integration with the CM sector (as were their patients) to: achieve better patient health outcomes and to gain efficiencies within the health care system. Yet, both surveys also indicate that the barriers to integration are substantial and, generally speaking, centre on the perception that many MDs lack respect for, and/or knowledge about, naturopathic approaches. It is speculated that as students in conventional medical schools are increasingly exposed to CAM approaches, perhaps more MDs in the future will be receptive to greater integration with CAM. Should this occur, then it is also possible that geographic proximity may be a catalyst for deeper CAM-CM integration; as it has been for CAM-CAM relationships.