[Users of homeopathy in Norway].
BACKGROUND
37% of the Norwegian population have been to a homeopath. This article describes user complaints and characteristics and compares this with previous users and patients in general practice.


METHODS
We conducted a survey of 1097 patients visiting 80 Norwegian homeopaths in 1998 and compared them with a similar survey in 1985 (1072 consultations) and a 1989 survey of patients in general practice (90,458 consultations).


RESULTS
One in four of patients seeing a homeopath in 1998 were children below ten years of age compared to one in ten in the 1985 study and one in eleven in the general practice study. Children saw homeopaths most often because of respiratory and skin complaints. One half of the 1998 patients had used prescription drugs provided by a medical doctor the last month for the same complaint that they presented to the homeopath. The reasons for seeing a homeopath are similar to those found in medical general practice, expect for circulatory complaints.


CONCLUSIONS
There has been a substantial increase in the proportion of children among users of homeopaths. Homeopathy is most often used complementary to services given by general practitioners for the same complaints.
Institutt for samfunnsmedisin, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Medisinsk-teknisk forskningssenter, 7489 Trondheim. aslak.steinsbekk@medisin.ntnu.no
Aslak
A
Steinsbekk
Vinjar
V
Fønnebø
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires