Homoeopathy and the US primary care physician

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess US primary care physicians' levels of knowledge of and attitudes towards homoeopathy, as well as their practice and referral patterns, and desire for training in this field. Previous studies indicate low practice and referral rates, but high interest in training has been suggested by an earlier regional study. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was mailed to a hierarchical, stratified, random sample of physicians drawn from the American Medical Association membership of primary care specialists. Results of this study show a high degree of interest in training (49%) in homoeopathy despite current low practice (5.9%) and referral rates (13.8%). In addition, a total of one third of the physicians said they either would use or have used homoeopathy in their own practices. A shortfall exists between the knowledge and desire for knowledge about homoeopathy among primary care physicians and the availability or amount of information and training accessible in the United States.

Keywords

Complementary/alternative medicine - Homoeopathy - Primary care physicians - Knowledge - Attitude - Usage - Referrals

^* Division of Complementary Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Kernan Hospital Mansion, 2200 Kernan Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21207, USA.

^** Behavioral Research Group, 407 N. Chapel Gate Lane, Baltimore, Maryland 21229, USA.

^*** Research and Statistical Consultant Group, 407 N. Chapel Gate Lane, Baltimore, Maryland 21229, USA.