The State of the Evidence for Whole-System, Multi-Modality Naturopathic Medicine: A Systematic Scoping Review

Myers, Stephen P; Vigar, Vanessa

doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0340

Cited by 34 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Equally, research evaluating the effectiveness of naturopathic care ideally should employ a whole practice research designs that accounts for the complex treatment mix and individualised treatment approach characteristic of naturopathic practice. Available evaluations of outcomes from naturopathic practices suggest naturopathic care may improve the outcomes of patients with cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, chronic pain, autoimmune disease, mental illness, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [38]. While there may be evidence supporting the application of specific treatments used by naturopathic practitioners in the management of some of these conditions [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48], further research is required to fully quantify the impact and effectiveness of naturopathic care on the clinical outcomes across the diverse health complaints clinicians appear to be treating.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of international naturopathic practice and patient characteristics: results from a cross-sectional study in 14 countries

Steel

Foley

Bradley

et al. 2020

BMC Complement Med Ther

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Background: Naturopathy is a distinct system of traditional and complementary medicine recognized by the World Health Organization and defined by its philosophic approach to patient care, rather than the treatments used by practitioners. Worldwide, over 98 countries have practicing naturopaths, representing 36% of all countries and every world region. The contributions of naturopaths to healthcare delivery services internationally has not been previously examined. Thus, the primary intention of this research was to conduct an international survey of naturopathic practice and patient characteristics in order to gain insight to the breadth of their practices and the type of clinical conditions routinely encountered. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in naturopathic clinics in 14 countries within 4 world regions including the European () and African (South Africa). Naturopathic practitioners in each country were invited to prospectively complete an online survey for 20 consecutive cases. The survey was administered in four languages. Results: A total of 56 naturopaths from 14 countries participated in the study, providing a mean of 15.1 cases each (SD 7.6) and 851 cases in total. Most patients were female (72.6%) and all age categories were represented with a similar proportion for 36-45 years (20.2%), 46-55 years (19.5%), and 56-65 years (19.3%). A substantial majority (75%) of patients were considered by the participant to be presenting with chronic health conditions. The most prevalent category of health conditions were musculoskeletal (18.5%), gastrointestinal (12.2%), and mental illness (11.0%). The most common treatment categories prescribed or recommended to patients by the participants were dietary changes (60.5%), lifestyle and behaviour changes (56.9%), herbal medicines (54.2%) and nutritional supplements (52.1%). Many patients were known by participants to be receiving care from a general practitioner (43.2%) or a specialist medical practitioner (27.8%). Conclusions: Naturopathic practitioners provide health care for diverse health conditions in patients in different age groups. The global population would benefit from researchers and policy makers paying closer attention to the potential risks, benefits, challenges and opportunities of the provision of naturopathic care within the community.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of international naturopathic practice and patient characteristics: results from a cross-sectional study in 14 countries

Steel

Foley

Bradley

et al. 2020

BMC Complement Med Ther

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“…Thus, it seems that acupuncturists’ and naturopaths’ treatments encompass a wider range of health problems, or at least that their patients visit for a wider range of health problems. Additionally, there is some evidence in the literature regarding the effectiveness these therapies in the treatment of some of the complaints reported by the therapists: osteopathy for the treatment of back pain [33, 34]; acupuncture for the treatment of musculoskeletal problems [35, 36]; and naturopathy for the treatment of mood and sleeping disorders [37, 38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of complementary medicine therapists in Switzerland: A cross-sectional study

et al. 2019

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ObjectiveMore than 27,000 complementary medicine (CM) therapists are registered in Switzerland, but limited data are available on their occupational profile and role in the healthcare system. Herein we aimed to gain a better understanding of the professional profile of non-physician licensed therapists, focusing on acupuncture, osteopathy, and European naturopathy.DesignThis cross-sectional study was based on an online anonymous survey conducted from March to June 2017.Setting and participantsAll 1549 non-physician registered osteopaths, acupuncturists, and naturopaths in the French-speaking part of Switzerland were asked to complete the survey.Main outcome measuresWe measured the therapists’ demographics, training and practice characteristics, and workload.ResultsA total of 426 therapists returned the questionnaire (response rate: 27.5%). The mean age of the respondents was 46.0 years (SD 11.6) and most were women (67.8%). CM represented the main professional activity for a majority of therapists (82.8%), most of whom were independent (86.3%). The length and number of consultations per month varied across professions. Multivariate analysis showed that acupuncturists and naturopaths performed significantly fewer consults per month than osteopaths did. However, consultation length was significantly longer for acupuncturists and naturopaths than for osteopaths. Acupuncturists (71.6%) and naturopaths (64.4%) were significantly more favorable than osteopaths (27.7%) to have consultation costs covered by basic health insurance. Professional profiles differed between osteopaths, on the one hand, and naturopaths and acupuncturists, on the other, mainly regarding workload, treatment duration, and main reasons to consult.ConclusionsThis first study to investigate a variety of therapist profiles in Switzerland provides useful information about their activities and role within the Swiss healthcare system. Although all three professions are encompassed under the same umbrella term (CM), our study showed that they have specific work cultures and areas of intervention in the healthcare system.

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“…NA a strong focus on educating individuals to modify their health behaviours to improve their health status [2]. Patients consulting with a naturopath have also reported empowerment as a feature of the naturopathic consultation [8,9] while clinical research has highlighted the emphasis placed on modifying dietary and lifestyle behaviours within the naturopathic system of healing [15]. Equally, individuals that choose to consult with a naturopath may be predisposed to specific health behaviours due to their own individual holistic personal belief systems [14,16,17].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of factors characterise individuals that use complementary medicine (CM) services [13,14] and may impact on the overall outcomes of care provided by a naturopath or Western herbalist [15]. For example, psychosocial factors such as spirituality and holistic belief systems are linked to complementary medicine (CM) use [14,16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do women who consult with naturopaths or herbalists have a healthy lifestyle?: a secondary analysis of the Australian longitudinal study on women’s health

Steel

Tiveron

Reid

et al. 2020

BMC Complement Med Ther

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Background Australians report consulting with a naturopaths or herbalists to improve their wellbeing, yet little is known about the associations between these consultations and the patients’ health behaviours. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationship between health behaviour and consultations with naturopaths or herbalists in three age cohorts of Australian women. Methods Women aged 19–25 years, 31–36 years, and 62–67 years from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) were surveyed regarding smoking, alcohol or drug use, physical activity and dietary behaviour; and whether they consulted with naturopath/herbalists in the last 12 months. Associations were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 9151 (19–25 years), 8200 (31–36 years) and 11,344 (62–67 years) women were included in the analysis. Between 7.3 and 11.9% of women reported to have consulted with naturopaths/herbalists in the last 12 months. Women of all cohorts consulting with naturopath/herbalist were less likely to smoke (19-25 yrs.: Odds Ratio [OR] 0.61; 31–36 years: OR 0.58; 62–67 years: OR 0.29), more likely to report at least moderate levels of physical activity (19-25 yrs.: OR 1.41; 31–36 years: OR 1.34; 62–67 years: OR 1.34), and the use of vegetarian diets(19-25 yrs.: OR 1.40; 31–36 years: OR 1.77; 62–67 years: OR 2.28), compared to women not consulting with naturopaths/herbalists. Women consulting with naturopaths/herbalists however were also more likely to have used marijuana (19-25 yrs.: OR 1.18; 31–36 years: OR 1.42), or illicit drugs in the last 12 months (19-25 yrs.: OR 1.24; 31–36 years: OR 1.40). Conclusions Consultations with a naturopath or herbalist are associated with positive health behaviours that are protective of internationally important non-communicable diseases. Psychoactive drug use is also reported among women visiting a naturopath or herbalist. Further research is needed to understand the role naturopaths play in advising patients with regards to health and non-healthy behaviours.

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The State of the Evidence for Whole-System, Multi-Modality Naturopathic Medicine: A Systematic Scoping Review

Cited by 34 publications

References 47 publications

Overview of international naturopathic practice and patient characteristics: results from a cross-sectional study in 14 countries

Overview of international naturopathic practice and patient characteristics: results from a cross-sectional study in 14 countries

Characteristics of complementary medicine therapists in Switzerland: A cross-sectional study

Do women who consult with naturopaths or herbalists have a healthy lifestyle?: a secondary analysis of the Australian longitudinal study on women’s health

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