open access: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine | Abstract | Consumers' experiences and values in conventional and alternative medicine paradigms: a problem detection study (PDS)

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine | Abstract | Consumers' experiences and values in conventional and alternative medicine paradigms: a problem detection study (PDS)

"Of 300 questionnaires distributed (Brisbane, Australia), 83 consumers responded."

"A 28% response (83 of 300 questionnaires distributed) was obtained for the consumer participants. More females (58) than males (25) responded. The majority of the consumers were middle-aged (47% aged 35–54 years, n = 47; 21 consumers were 34 or under and 15
were older than 55)."  (Blogger's Note: null search results for 'cancer')

Conclusions

This PDS (problem detection study)  has emphasized the perceived importance of open communication between consumers, CAM and conventional providers, and has exposed areas where CAM consumers perceive that issues exist across the CAM and conventional medicine paradigms. There is a lot of information which is perceived as not being shared at present and there are issues of discomfort and distrust which require resolution to develop concordant relationships in healthcare. Further research should be based on optimisation of information sharing, spanning both conventional and CAM fields of healthcare, due to both the relevance of concordance principles within CAM modalities and the widespread use of CAM by consumers.