Job profile of non-medical practitioners: a cross-sectional study from the health service perspective
Background: The demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is rising. The German ‘Heilpraktiker' is a non-medical naturopathic practitioner (NMNP) providing CAM. Their numbers are rising constantly; however, little is known about their practices and reasons for consultation and on...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
October 2017
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| In: |
Complementary medicine research
Year: 2017, Volume: 24, Issue: 5, Pages: 285-289 |
| ISSN: | 2504-2106 |
| DOI: | 10.1159/000471851 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000471851 Verlag, Volltext: https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/471851 
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| Author Notes: | Stefanie Kattge, Katja Goetz, Katharina Glassen, Jost Steinhäuser |
| Summary: | Background: The demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is rising. The German ‘Heilpraktiker' is a non-medical naturopathic practitioner (NMNP) providing CAM. Their numbers are rising constantly; however, little is known about their practices and reasons for consultation and on what kind of treatment they offer. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> All 1,096 NMNPs in the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein were invited to participate in a questionnaire study to gain first insights into their nearly unexplored group setting. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 262 NMNPs responded to the itemized questionnaire; 60 answered the questionnaire suggested for non-responders. Out of the 262 NMNPs, 211 (81%) were female. The average age was 53 years. Analyzing the most frequent reasons for consultation, 68.2% were found to be general and unspecified reasons, followed by psychological causes (64.1%) and musculoskeletal complaints (53.1%). About 68% of the participants treat conditions of pain. The most commonly used group of methods was found to comprise para-medicinal procedures. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Our analysis gives first insights into the occupational profile of the German NMNPs, their scope of activities and treatment methods. It is a first step towards health service research that might provide a basis for further studies. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 16.07.2018 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 2504-2106 |
| DOI: | 10.1159/000471851 |