Biomedical subjects

G Easthope

Publications and source records attributed to G Easthope.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Exploring the relationship between women's health and the use of complementary and alternative medicine.

In this paper we identify the need for further research exploring the relationship between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and women's health. We offer our personal thoughts on the direction such future research might take outlining a number of research domains (type of CAM consumption, longitudinal analysis of women's use of CAM, cross-cultural analysis of women's CAM consumption, reasons for women's CAM consumption). We hope that this brief paper helps inspire greater research attention upon what we believe to be a well deserving sub-field of study within the social science of CAM.

Australia↗

PubMed2000

General practitioners' attitudes toward complementary therapies.

Attitudes toward complementary therapies were elicited from a postal survey of all identified general practitioners in the state of Tasmania, Australia. Regression analysis of the data indicated that demographic features associated with favourable attitudes were younger age and location in small or single practices. Personal experiences of such therapies or patient endorsement of them were also associated with favourable attitudes. Those who saw the holistic orientation of complementary medicine as an advantage were likely to hold favourable attitudes. Those who saw the cure rate of complementary therapies as problematic and/or had personal knowledge of the harmful effects of such therapies were less likely to have favourable attitudes.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Normal medical practice of referring patients for complementary therapies among Australian general practitioners.

OBJECTIVES: Assessing the extent to which general practitioners (GPs) accept complementary therapies as normal medical practice. DESIGN: An examination of two Australian surveys of GPs undertaken in Tasmania and Victoria in 1997. OUTCOME MEASURES: Type of referral (to doctors or non-medical therapists) and therapy. Levels of acceptance. Basis for judgement of acceptability. RESULTS: In Tasmania 66% of GPs referred patients to doctors - primarily for acupuncture and hypnotherapy. Fifty-five per cent referred patients to non-medical practitioners - primarily for chiropractic, massage and osteopathy. In Victoria the rate of referral was 93%. Most GPs accepted acupuncture as a normal, but not orthodox, therapy. There are varying levels of acceptance of other complementary therapies and GPs judge by assessing safety and therapeutic value. CONCLUSION: Some complementary therapies are clearly part of normal, if not orthodox, practice in Australia. Discussion of complementary therapies in medicine must consider the differential levels of acceptance of different therapies.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

What constitutes treatment effectiveness? -- the differential judgements of Chinese Aaustralian patients and doctors.

Analysis of interviews and focus groups with users of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ethnic Chinese general practitioners (GPs) in Sydney, Australia, demonstrated the concept of treatment effectiveness held by users had four aspects: diagnosis, intervention, outcome and prevention of recurrence. Respondents assessed orthodox medicine and TCM utilizing all four aspects. Orthodox medicine was considered effective for diagnosis and valued for the speed of its intervention. However, respondents regretted its failure to use food in treatment. Orthodox medicine was considered best for symptom relief but TCM was considered to be better at dealing with root causes of illness and was consequently better at preventing illness recurring. Respondents saw prevention as illness specific contrasting with the lifestyle prevention espoused by orthodox medicine. Respondents criticized TCM in Australia because of the perceived low expertise of practitioners and poor herb quality. GPs valued accurate diagnosis and symptom relief but were less concerned about root causes of illness and did not see food as a treatment intervention.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Acupuncture in Australian general practice: patient characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the incidence of acupuncture claims and the characteristics of patients claiming for acupuncture. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of Health Insurance Commission data on claims for acupuncture performed by a medical practitioner. PARTICIPANTS: A summary of all Medicare acupuncture claims for financial years 1984-85 to 1996-97 and a random sample of patients claiming a Medicare rebate in calendar year 1996. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Claims for acupuncture by patients' State, sex, age, and the socioeconomic disadvantage index of patients' residences. RESULTS: Between 1984-85 and 1996-97 the number of acupuncture claims increased, but declined as a proportion of total Medicare claims. In 1996, 1.16% of patients claimed for acupuncture, which constituted 0.5% of all Medicare claims. Adjusting for age and socioeconomic disadvantage, women were more likely than men to claim for acupuncture (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-1.45). This sex difference is proportionately greater than that for all medical services. Propensity to claim for acupuncture increased with age, peaking at 65-69 years, then declining. Acupuncture claims were more likely in areas just above those assessed as having the greatest social disadvantage. CONCLUSION: The number of acupuncture claims has increased since 1984. As a proportion of all Medicare claims, acupuncture has remained stable since declining in 1991-92. This suggests that acupuncture is now an established complementary medical practice.

Acupuncture Therapy↗

PubMed1998

Acupuncture in Australian general practice: practitioner characteristics.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the extent of the use of acupuncture and the characteristics of general practitioners using acupuncture. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of 1996 Health Insurance Commission data on claims by all non-specialist medical practitioners for Medicare Benefits Schedule items for an attendance where acupuncture was performed by a medical practitioner. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Use of acupuncture by general practitioners and the practitioners' sex, age, place of primary medical qualification, and the socioeconomic disadvantage index of the practitioners' practice. RESULTS: 15.1% of general practitioners claimed for acupuncture. Acupuncture was more likely to be provided by male practitioners, by those aged 35-54 years, and by practitioners who have an overseas primary medical qualification. The socioeconomic index of the practice did not significantly affect the number of claims for acupuncture. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture is used by about one in seven general practitioners. Its use is associated with middle-aged practitioners, who presumably have more clinical experience. This level of use by experienced doctors suggests that a critical review of the appropriate role of acupuncture in general practice should be considered.

Acupuncture Therapy↗

PubMed1996

Effects of needle exchanges in Hobart, Tasmania.

An examination was conducted of three Tasmanian cohorts of injecting drug users interviewed before the introduction of needle exchanges, during the operation of illegal exchanges and after the introduction of legal exchanges. The drugs reported as used were comparable with reports from Perth and Sydney samples. There are clear downward trends for both males and females toward reduced sharing of injecting equipment and increased use of new equipment which begin when the illegal exchanges were operating and accelerate when the number of exchanges increased and became legal. The use of bleach to clean equipment also increases in the 4-year period. There was a much higher use of open fires to dispose of equipment than has been reported elsewhere. These results strongly suggest that needle exchanges do lead to reduced sharing and to less needles in public places; vital outcomes if AIDS and hepatitis are to be contained.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1993

Perceptions of the causes of drug use in a series of articles in The International Journal of the Addictions.

There is now considerable evidence of historical variation in the definition of problem drug use. Less well studied has been contemporary variations in the perception of drug use. To remedy this, an examination of a series titled "From Theory to Practice: The Planned Treatment of Drug Users," published in The International Journal of the Addictions, was undertaken. The analysis shows little agreement on the causes of drug usage. The implications of this disagreement for policy is illustrated by showing how different perceptions of the causes of drug use imply different ways of responding to that use.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

Voluntary agencies dealing with drug and alcohol misusers: a comparison of three surveys conducted in London, Scotland, and Tasmania.

A comparison is presented of three independent surveys of voluntary agencies dealing with drug misusers in London, Scotland, and Tasmania. The comparison shows that in all three locations: (1) agencies demonstrate a recent and rapid growth, are predominantly small and rely on the commitment of a few workers, are heavily dependent on government funding and most funds are spent on salaries; (2) staff are largely unqualified and recently appointed, see their primary activity as counseling; and (3) clients are predominantly male. The community base of these agencies means wide variability in type of agency and creates problems in assessing success and in developing relationships between them and agencies in the statutory sector.

Adult↗