Use of natural health products in children: experiences and attitudes of family physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the experiences of family physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador with parents' use of natural health products (NHPs) for their children and to assess physicians' attitudes toward use of NHPs in children.


METHODS
A survey using the Dillman approach.


METHODS
Newfoundland and Labrador.


METHODS
All family physicians in the province.


METHODS
Physician demographic characteristics; whether physicians inquire about the use of NHPs in children; the degree to which they think patients disclose use of NHPs in children; whether they counsel parents about the potential benefits or harms of NHPs; their own opinions about the usefulness of NHPs; whether they recommend NHPs in children and for what reasons; and the particular NHPs they have seen used in children and for what reasons.


RESULTS
A total of 159 (33.1%) family physicians responded; 65.4% were men, 71.7% were Canadian medical graduates, and 46.5% practised in rural areas. Overall, 18.8% of family physicians said they regularly or frequently asked about NHP use; 24.7% counseled patients about potential harms. Only 1.9% of physicians believed NHPs were usually beneficial, but a similarly small number (8.4%) thought they were usually harmful. Most respondents were somewhat neutral; 59.7% said they never recommend NHPs for children, and a further 37.0% said they would only "sometimes" recommend NHPs.


CONCLUSIONS
Most physicians believed that NHPs were probably of little benefit but not likely to be harmful. Most NHPs used were vitamins and minerals. Physicians recognized that NHPs were often used by parents for children, but in general they believed NHPs had little effect on their day-to-day medical practices. Thirty-eight (24.7%) of the 154 physicians had at least once recommended an NHP (including vitamins) for their pediatric patients. Physicians believed that parents did not often disclose use of NHPs for their children, but at the same time physicians generally did not actively inquire.
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Primary Healthcare Research Unit, Room 1776, Health Science Centre, 300 Prince Phillip Dr, St John's, NL A1B 3V6, Canada. godwinm@mun.ca
Marshall
M
Godwin
Farah
F
McCrate
Leigh Anne
LA
Newhook
Andrea
A
Pike
John
J
Crellin
Rebecca
R
Law
Maria
M
Mathews
Nurun L
NL
Chowdhury
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008903:Minerals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009523:Newfoundland and Labrador; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D010821:Physicians, Family; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019936:Probiotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D008419:Materia Medica; D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins