Gradual and Progressive Adoption of Alternative Medicine

Despite the public's reported widespread use of acupuncture, herbs and other complementary and alternative medicines, many physicians lack the information they need to counsel their patients about such treatments.

Physicians are fielding lots of questions from their patients about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and they would like to know enough about these various practices to be able to steer patients away from harmful treatments and, to a lesser extent, towards ones that might be beneficial.

Nearly one quarter of the physicians said they had used CAM and roughly two-thirds said they had patients who used CAM.

Yet only one third of the physicians said they felt "somewhat comfortable" discussing CAM use with their patients and only 35% said they had "somewhat positive" feelings about such discussions, study findings indicate. The remaining physicians felt uncomfortable or neutral or had negative or neutral feelings.

Underscoring these findings was the fact that 84% of the doctors indicated an interest in learning more about complementary and alternative medicines.

Overall, doctors who said they used one or more CAM were reportedly seven times more likely to recommend CAM to their patients. Further, those interested in learning more about CAM were more than four times more likely than their disinterested peers to recommend CAM to their patients.

Archives of Internal Medicine May 27, 2002;162:1176-1181

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

E-mail to a friend

This is encouraging news. Increasing numbers of traditional physicians are realizing that the traditional paradigm does not work and they are seeking options that will treat disease at the cause.

As you will see in the articles below, doctors are just not happy with their current circumstances. They are becoming more and more inclined to consider alternatives, and believe me, there are major ones planned for them on this site.

I hope to help most of these doctors understand how simple it is to help people recover from disease by applying my basic health principles.

Related Articles:

Unhappy Doctors: What Are the Causes and What Can Be Done?

Most Doctors Are Not Happy In Their Jobs

Return to Table of Contents #333

©Copyright 1997-2002 by Joseph M. Mercola, DO. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright; contact; creation; and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.

Disclaimer - Newsletters are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.