Complementary medicine: use and attitudes among GPs

BACKGROUND: Information about use and attitudes of GPs towardscomplementary medicine is required in order to inform the debate about itsplace within mainstream medicine. There is evidence that public use ofcomplementary medicine is particularly high in the South-West of England.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the use of, and attitudes towards,complementary medicine among GPs. METHODS: A questionnaire survey wasperformed of all primary care physicians working in the health service inDevon and Cornwall. RESULTS: Replies were received from 461 GPs, a responserate of 47%. A total of 314 GPs (68%, range 32-85%) had been involved incomplementary medicine in some way during the previous week. One or otherform of complementary medicine was practised by 74 of the respondents(16%), the two most common being homoeopathy (5.9%) and acupuncture (4.3%).In addition, 115 of the respondents (25%) had referred at least one patientto a complementary therapist in the previous week, and 253 (55%) hadendorsed or recommended treatment with complementary medicine.Chiropractic, acupuncture and osteopathy were rated as the three mosteffective therapies, and the majority of respondents believed that thesethree therapies should be funded by the health service. A total of 176(38%) of respondents reported adverse effects, most commonly aftermanipulation. CONCLUSION: Over two-thirds of the GPs in Devon and Cornwallwho responded to the survey had been involved with complementary medicinein some way during the previous week. This figure is higher than thenational average. The majority of respondents believed that acupuncture,chiropractic and osteopathy were effective and should be funded by the NHS.