title: Practice patterns of naturopathic physicians: results from a random survey of licensed practitioners in two US States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the growing use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by consumers in the U.S., little is known about the practice of CAM providers. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the practice patterns of naturopathic physicians in Washington State and Connecticut.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone interviews were conducted with state-wide random samples of licensed naturopathic physicians and data were collected on consecutive patient visits in 1998 and 1999. The main outcome measures were: Sociodemographic, training and practice characteristics of naturopathic physicians; and demographics, reasons for visit, types of treatments, payment source and visit duration for patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy practitioners were interviewed and 99 recorded data on a total of 1817 patient visits. Naturopathic physicians in Washington and Connecticut had similar demographic and practice characteristics. Both the practitioners and their patients were primarily White and female. Almost 75% of all naturopathic visits were for chronic complaints, most frequently fatigue, headache, and back symptoms. Complete blood counts, serum chemistries, lipids panels and stool analyses were ordered for 4% to 10% of visits. All other diagnostic tests were ordered less frequently. The most commonly prescribed naturopathic therapeutics were: botanical medicines (51% of visits in Connecticut, 43% in Washington), vitamins (41% and 43%), minerals (35% and 39%), homeopathy (29% and 19%) and allergy treatments (11% and 13%). The mean visit length was about 40 minutes. Approximately half the visits were paid directly by the patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides information that will help other health care providers, patients and policy makers better understand the nature of naturopathic care.
authors.affiliation: Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. heather.boon@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Heather S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cherkin
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erro
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Milliman
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Booker
authors.forename: Elaine H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Deyo
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009324:Naturopathy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011159:Population Surveillance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011897:Random Allocation; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014861:Washington
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins