title: The knowledge and use of alternative therapeutic techniques by social work practitioners: a descriptive study.
abstract: A survey of use of alternative therapeutic methods was distributed to 1,000 clinical/direct service social work practitioners; a sample of 321 reported on their use of alternative techniques. Approximately three-quarters of the respondcnts used or referred mind-body techniques or community health alternatives. These two techniques accounted for about two-thirds of all alternative practices. Manual healing was used or referred by about one-third of all practitioners and professionalized alternative medicine was used by about 30%. Other methods, including botanical, pharmacological, and biological alternatives, diet and nutrition, and parapsychology were each used by fewer than 10% of the respondents. Social workers were most knowledgeable about mind-body techniques and community-based alternatives.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012947:Social Work / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States