Abstract
Complementary and alternative treatment (CAT) is increasingly popular with patients
and health-care providers. In the western societies an increasing number of patients
with asthma and allergy combine conventional and CAT. But health-care providers knowledge
about the different treatment models applied within the conventional health care system
and alternative treatment is generally poor. ‘Treatment model’ includes understanding
of disease, diagnostic approach, treatment methods and expected effects of treatment.
Different treatment models represent different social constructions of understanding.
We present a conceptualization of general practitioners’ (GPs) and classic homeopaths’
(CHs) perceptions of their treatment models in patients with asthma and allergy. This
is a first phase of a research project conducted in Denmark to study prerequisites
for bridge building between conventional and alternative therapists.
The research questions were: How do the GPs and the CHs describe their treatment models
for asthma and allergy? What are the differences and similarities between the treatment
models? Is there a logical connection between the components of the GPs and CHs treatment
models?
Six GPs and 11 CHs participated in semi-structured interviews. The main difference
is in the GPs and CHs descriptions of the purpose of treatment. Similarities are found
in the perception of a successful treatment. Both the GPs and the CHs experience treatment
effects to be dependent on contextual conditions. Differences and similarities between
treatment models are discussed in relation to potential bridge building between conventional
and alternative health care.
Keywords
disease understanding - diagnostic approaches - treatment model - expected effects
