General practitioners' attitudes toward complementary therapies.
Attitudes toward complementary therapies were elicited from a postal survey of all identified general practitioners in the state of Tasmania, Australia. Regression analysis of the data indicated that demographic features associated with favourable attitudes were younger age and location in small or single practices. Personal experiences of such therapies or patient endorsement of them were also associated with favourable attitudes. Those who saw the holistic orientation of complementary medicine as an advantage were likely to hold favourable attitudes. Those who saw the cure rate of complementary therapies as problematic and/or had personal knowledge of the harmful effects of such therapies were less likely to have favourable attitudes.
Easthope
G
G
School of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia. gary.easthope@utas.edu.au
Tranter
B
B
Gill
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011177:Postal Service; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013648:Tasmania