The expectations, health beliefs and behaviour of patients seeking homœopathic and conventional medicine

Abstract

Research was carried out to determine whether or not there was a difference in the health beliefs, expectations and behaviour of a sample of 92 patients attending a dermatological or rheumatological outpatient clinic which offered either homœopathic treatment (N=47) or conventional treatment (N=45).

Self-administered questionnaires were used which examined patients' pathways to care, expectations, beliefs, behaviour and multidimensional health locus of control.

The two key differences between those seeking homœopathic and those seeking conventional medicine were in terms of (1) their reasons for attending a homœopathic or conventional clinic, and (2) their beliefs about their presenting dermatological or rheumatological condition.

Key Words

Expectations - Health beliefs - Health behaviour