Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Alternative/Traditional/Folk Healthcare Practitioners

Souček, Ivan; Hofreiter, Roman

doi:10.31124/advance.17090900

Cited by 2 publications

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“…A pre-printed version of this article is available on Advance [34]. All collected data are available free of charge at http://w.issp.org/menu-top/home/.…”

Section: Data Availability Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Healthcare Practitioners Specializing in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Souček¹,

Hofreiter²

2022

Complement Med Res

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Background: Interest in various forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (e.g., naturopathy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, osteopathy, and chiropractic) is continuing to grow throughout Europe. Very little is known as to whether the prevalence and patterns of CAM usage are another cross-cutting phenomenon, dividing Europe, or whether they indicate homogenous healthcare settings throughout the continent. By examining data from the general population, the main objective of the study is to conduct a cross-country comparison of medical pluralism in Eastern and Western European countries. Methods: The cross-country comparison was conducted using data obtained through the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP). Data addressing healthcare issues were last collected for the ISSP in 2011. By analysing existing similarities and/or differences in the prevalence of sociodemographic and socioeconomic determinants, which could encourage visits to complementary and alternative practitioners, data from 21 European societies only, were included. In addition, the aim was to investigate whether individuals’ scarcity of trust in physicians, as well as a lack of confidence in healthcare systems, may explain visits to CAM practitioners across Europe. Results: While in Eastern countries, a total of 531 (5.5%) respondents reported a visit to/by a CAM healthcare practitioner during the preceding 12 months, in Western Europe, a visit to/by a CAM healthcare practitioner was reported by 11.6% of individuals. In Western Europe, the use of CAM is most prevalent among younger generations of women, those of a lower socioeconomic position and/or a low level of trust in conventional doctors. In Eastern Europe, CAM practitioners are mainly visited by older generations, city dwellers of a higher socioeconomic position and a relatively high level of trust in physicians. Conclusion: After collating data from 21 societies, the study concludes that more than three decades after the collapse of the socialist experiment in Eastern Europe, there is evidence that the European continent remains divided in relation to the alternative healthcare sector. The field of non-conventional healthcare represents an indicator supporting the existence of a dividing line between Eastern and Western Europe.

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“…A pre-printed version of this article is available on Advance [34]. All collected data are available free of charge at http://w.issp.org/menu-top/home/.…”

Section: Data Availability Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Healthcare Practitioners Specializing in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Souček¹,

Hofreiter²

2022

Complement Med Res

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Understanding unconventional medicine

Souček¹,

Hofreieter²

2022

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The phenomenon of unconventional medicine is an important feature of any contemporary society. Considering the increasing popularity of various forms of non-biomedical methods of healing among various groups of people, the necessity of an in-depth investigation of traditional, complementary and alternative therapies continues to grow. Existing terminology along with prevalence rates, legal status and historical development, vary greatly in European countries. The main reason behind the compilation of this publication was, therefore, to provide an overview of the field of unconventional medicine in Slovakia, where social science research into medicine has largely been neglected and only limited data exist in relation to medical practices and products, not associated with standard healthcare. Despite various concerns and controversies that have been raised regarding alternative medicine, the intent of the book is not to provoke criticism, the representatives of which are sufficiently represented in the public debate. Likewise, it does not try to reinforce the idealized and non-critical image of unconventional therapies, adopted by a number of alternative healthcare practitioners and providers. Rather than contribute to the polarization of the topic, the purpose of this monography is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the historical background of unconventional therapies, the main trends in this area, the patterns and reasons for the use of alternative medicine and the factors determining the efficacy of alternative therapies. The first section briefly introduces the historical development of the most notable forms of unconventional medicine in Slovakia, while highlighting various institutionalization and professionalization strategies, that have dominated over the last few decades. The second section mainly concerns a representative survey, investigating the patterns and trends of unconventional medicine use and concentrates on the execution of data on prevalence and types of non-conventional medicine, examining attitudes towards different topics related to alternative healthcare. Lastly, the book briefly enters the ongoing discussion as to how unconventional medicine might work and how efficacy is negotiated between the different actors involved in the healing process.

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Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Alternative/Traditional/Folk Healthcare Practitioners

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Healthcare Practitioners Specializing in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Healthcare Practitioners Specializing in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Understanding unconventional medicine

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