[Are patients of Asian medicine active consumers?].
BACKGROUND
The hypothesis that heterodox patients are active consumers.


OBJECTIVE
What are the decisional criteria that lead patients to Asian medicine? Do they want to be involved in therapeutic decision-making? Are they well informed about diverse therapeutic options?


METHODS
Semistructured interviews with 26 patients using Ayurveda or acupuncture.


RESULTS
Active consumerism among the patients is limited to processes before the beginning of the treatment. They collect little information about the concepts of Asian medicine. They also tend to welcome a rather paternalistic therapeutic relationship in which medical decision-making is centered around the physician.


CONCLUSIONS
As only two of the 26 interviewed patients conform to the notion of active consumerism, we argue that the majority of patients engages in practices of passive consumerism.
Frank
R
R
Fakultät für Soziologie, Universität Bielefeld, Germany. rog.frank@t-online.de
Stollberg
G
G
D026881:Acupuncture; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations