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Complementary therapies.

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Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed1995

Complementary therapy in the NHS: service development in a local district general hospital.

The Lewisham Hospital Complementary Therapy Centre opened in July 1994 to provide an NHS osteopathy, acupuncture and homoeopathy service to patients referred by general practitioners and hospital consultants. This centre provides a development opportunity for a Nurse Practitioner role which combines clinical and educational responsibilities with research and service development. Funded by the local Health Authority as a pilot scheme, the service attracted over 600 referrals in the first three operational months. Treating conditions such as arthritis, back pain and gynaecological problems, initial evaluation of the service suggests that patients feel the service is beneficial.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2003

What is the research question? A case study in the early stages of design of a randomised controlled trial for a complementary therapy.

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) can be used to evaluate aspects of the effectiveness of complementary therapies. Given the individualised and non-blindable nature of many treatments, the design of such studies is often not trivial. One decision to be made is what specific research question is to be asked, of the many potential questions that could be asked. This paper describes discussions that took place during the design of a trial to evaluate the effectiveness of herbal practitioners for menopausal women, and illustrates the tribulations associated with such a process. Specifically, it discusses implications of the choice of control group. It is critically important that a relevant and answerable research question is posed.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed1995

Complementary therapies in nursing. Implications for practice using aromatherapy as an example.

This paper explores the use of aromatherapy within nursing. Beliefs and values which may influence nursing are explored and how these frequently parallel the philosophies that influence complementary therapies. Organisational and professional factors which may influence the use of aromatherapy are considered. The development of policies to guide aromatherapy practice plus identifying the most appropriate person to undertake this care is discussed. Justifying care is explored via the development of research based practice and the generation of appropriate knowledge to guide practice. Although the paper is based on aromatherapy many of the issues raised are relevant to other complementary therapies. Similarly, the word 'nurse' is used but the issues also relate to the practice of aromatherapy within midwifery and health visiting.

Aromatherapy↗
PubMed1996

Complementary therapies in HIV disease.

This study was designed to determine whether a standardized program of complementary therapies combined with appropriate standard medical care would have a measurable influence on the course of HIV disease when compared with data from other groups. All 10 participants began this study in 1988 with a diagnosis of asymptomatic HIV-positive. They received a 1-month orientation to the program and were then seen at 3-month intervals for follow-up data collection. Data were compared with two groups that had not been trained in the comprehensive treatment program. After 30 months, the mean CD4 cell count of our study group declined by 4% (406 to 391). The mean red and white blood cell counts remained stable at 96% and 105% of baseline, respectively. The mean CD8 cell number rose by 28%. No mortality occurred. One opportunistic infection (pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) developed in the study group. No other significant symptoms, serious infections, or disease progression developed in the other 9 participants during the study period. At long-term follow-up 8 of the 10 study participants remained alive 7 years after beginning the study protocol. These data suggest that patients who are presented counseling on good nutrition, vitamin supplementation, stress reduction, exercising, and involving oneself in community potentially can continue to live asymptomatic lives that in quality and length exceed the lives of those HIV-positive individuals not presented such counseling.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

The use of complementary therapies among breast and prostate cancer patients in Finland.

This study describes the use of complementary therapies (CTs) among breast (women) and prostate cancer patients (men) in Finland. The data were collected using a self-administered postal questionnaire. Responses were received from 216 women (response rate 54.9%) and 190 men (response rate 55.4%). Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics, the chi-square test and Fisher and Wilcoxon tests. Interpretation of the responses to the open-ended questions used the method of content analysis. Half the respondents (women 53%, men 50%) were interested in CTs. Women (59%) had seriously considered using CTs significantly (P = 0.006) more often than men (44%). Among the women and men who had considered the option, CT use was not started because there was not enough scientific evidence (women 56%, men 77%) or because conventional treatments had worked well enough (women 45%, men 70%). Almost one-third of all women (30%) and men (28%) either continued to use or started using CTs after they had fallen ill with cancer. They resorted to CTs in order to restore their hope in the future (women 36%, men 36%) and to do as much as they could for themselves (women 46%, men 29%). The results indicate that cancer patients are interested in CTs and use them quite frequently. This presents a major challenge to official health care: how should cancer patients be supported in the care relationship to make an informed decision about using CTs; what kind of advice should they be given; and how can patients' individual requirements be adequately met in nursing care?

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The use of complementary therapies by breast cancer patients attending conventional treatment.

The aim of this study was to measure the proportion and characteristics of complementary therapy (CT) users among female breast cancer patients receiving conventional treatment. 473 women who had received surgical intervention for breast cancer in the year of diagnosis were sent a questionnaire for completion, and 242 responded. CT had been used by 16.5% after cancer diagnosis, only 8.7% before. The most commonly used CTs were homeopathy, manual healing method, herbalism and acupuncture. The main reason for using CTs was physical distress. Only a minority was searching for psychological support. 24 users were satisfied with these treatments, and two-thirds would suggest them. Users were significantly younger, more educated, and previous users of CTs than non-users. Adjusting each variable for the effect of the others, only previous use had an independent effect on increasing the probability of being users after cancer diagnosis.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2000

[Complementary therapies in the hospital:'if you can't beat them, join them'?].

Some major cancer hospitals in the United States have established a department for complementary medicine as a service to their patients. Surveys in the Netherlands have shown that notably nursing staff and consumers consider the availability of complementary therapy in health care to be very important. Nevertheless, this appears to be an undesirable development as the effectiveness of these therapies has not been demonstrated and the therapists involved might interfere with regular patient therapy.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2000

Nurses pray: use of prayer and spirituality as a complementary therapy in the intensive care setting.

The power that prayer and spirituality exerts on healing cannot be underestimated. Body, mind, and spirit are connected to each other. Although patients in hospitals may have the best medical and nursing care available, many seek alternative or complementary therapies. One adjunctive therapy that has grown in popularity recently is the incorporation of prayer and spirituality into the traditional approaches used with acute and critically ill patients. Spirituality is returning to healthcare because many patients believe in it and seek it as part of their treatment. Although spirituality is only one of the many types of alternative and complementary therapies available to patients, it can be powerful approach to their care. This article explores the use of spirituality with a special focus on prayer.

Acute Disease↗