Positive Health Online

Abstract

ATTENA and colleagues, Istituto di Igiene e Medicina Preventiva, Facolta di Medicina, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Italy evaluated homeopathy by investigating its impact in primary health care, i.e. its impact on outpatients to a homeopathy centre.

Background

In recent years, numerous clinical trials have evaluated homeopathy. The authors aimed to evaluate the therapy using a different approach – i.e. investigating its impact in primary health care.

Methodology

609 patients received a telephone call 1 year after their first visit to a homeopathic clinic (between June 1995 and May 1997); they were asked to rate their present general health compared with a year ago.

Results

73.5% of the patients reported a moderate or marked improvement in their health status . Marked improvement was significantly higher in: subjects who stated they were satisfied with the care they received; females; subjects aged 0-15 years; and those who completed therapy.

Conclusion

For conditions that are not life threatening, homeopathy seems to meet patients' needs in primary health care .

References

Attena F et al. Homoeopathy in primary care: self-reported change in health status. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 8 (1): 21-5. Mar 2000.