Complementary therapy involvement of physicians: implications for practice and learning.
OBJECTIVE
We studied physicians' current and desired clinical role functions within the complementary health paradigm and their perceptions of the necessary educational programs to support them.


METHODS
A questionnaire to determine clinical activities within different complementary therapies was developed and mailed-out to 837 eligible physicians in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, using a modified Dillman approach.


RESULTS
The overall response rate to the mailed survey was 49.8% (417/837), with response rates of 50.2% (115/229) for family physicians and 49.7% (302/608) for specialists. The amount of interactions around complementary therapies between physicians, their patients and complementary therapists appears to be low. At the same time, there is a growing interest among physicians about complementary therapies, particularly with respect to developing their knowledge about efficacy and enhancing their skills in assessment and counselling.


CONCLUSIONS
The differential levels of acceptance of different therapies by physicians will influence integration of complementary therapies in mainstream medicine.
Kaczorowski
J
J
Department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, Ont., Canada.
Patterson
C
C
Arthur
H
H
Mith
K S
KS
Mills
D A
DA
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires