Download PDF
Homeopathy 2006; 95(02): 73-80
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2006.01.006
Original Paper
Copyright © The Faculty of Homeopathy 2006

An exploratory retrospective study of people suffering from hypersensitivity illnesses who attend medical or classical homeopathic treatment

L. Launsø
1   The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM) University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
,
C.K. Kimby
2   Institute of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, ØsterFarimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark
,
Inge Henningsen
3   Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Institute of Mathematics, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
,
Vinjar Fønnebø
1   The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM) University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
› Author Affiliations
Subject Editor:
Further Information

Publication History

Received25 October 2005
revised16 December 2005

accepted23 January 2006

Publication Date:
02 January 2018 (online)

    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

The objective of this study is to describe patients who had treatment for hypersensitivity illnesses by general practitioners (GPs) or classical homeopaths (CHs) and the patients’ self-reported effectiveness of the treatment received. The data stems from an exploratory retrospective study amongst 88 Danish patients (response rate 58%) suffering from hypersensitivity illnesses, who chose treatment from one of six GPs or one of 10 CHs who participated in the project. The patients themselves selected their treatment. The GPs or the CHs considered that the patient's treatment was complete or that the patient was in a situation of current ‘maintenance treatment’. The patients’ primary reason for consulting the GP or the CH was that they were suffering from hypersensitivity illnesses.

No significant difference was found between the two groups of patients in relation to age, education and duration of hypersensitivity symptoms. The CH patients were more likely to be employed in teaching, research, health care or the social sector compared to GP patients. The two groups of patients were similar in respect of their health at the start of the treatment, 57% of the patients who consulted a CH experienced an improvement of their state of health compared to 24% of the GP patients. Both groups of patients experienced an improvement of their psychological health after treatment. Logistic regression analysis showed that the GP or CH was the only significant effect variable. The results are based on the patients’ retrospective, self-reported effectiveness of the treatments.

Keywords

retrospective study - user-evaluation study - outcome assessment - health care
 

  • References

  • 1 Hansen E.F., Rappeport Y., Vestbo J. et al. Prevalence of asthma among young adults in Copenhagen [in Danish: Astmaprævalens blandt unge voksne i København]. Ugeskr Læger 2001; 163: 6128-6130.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Herborg H, Dengsø V, Petersen G, et al. Drugs used in asthma treatment [in Danish: Lægemidler i astmabehandlingen]. In: Launsø L, Sørensen EW (eds). Drugs and Drug Usage [in Danish: Lægemidler og lægemiddelanvendelse]. København: Akademisk Forlag, 1996.
    PubMed
  • 3 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Report of the Expert Panel on the Extramural Asthma and Allergy Research Program. USA, 2000. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dait/aarp.html (visited 21.10.2004).
    PubMed
  • 4 Blands J. Asthma in Denmark—status—and how to progress. [in Danish: Astmaforekomst i Danmark—hvor står vi—og hvordan kommer vi videre]. Institut for Folkesundhedsvidenskap, Københavns Universitet; 2002.
    PubMed
  • 5 Kjøller M, Rasmussen NK. Health and Morbidity in Denmark & the Development Since 1987 [in Danish: Sundhed & Sygelighed i Danmark & udviklingen siden 1987]. København: Statens Institut for Folkesundhed, 2002.
    PubMed
  • 6 Mossing R., Nielsen G.D. Cost-of-illness of asthma in Denmark in the year 2000 [in Danish: De samfundsøkonomiske omkostninger ved astma i Danmark i 2000]. Ugeskr Læger 2003; 23: 26.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The Allergy Report: Science Based Findings on the Diagnosis & Treatment of Allergic Disorders, 1996–2001.
    PubMed
  • 8 The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Steering Committee. Worldwide variation in prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema: ISAAC. Lancet 1998; 351: 1225-1232.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Linneberg A. et al. The prevalence of skin-test-positive allergic rhinitis in Danish adults: two cross-sectional surveys 8 years apart. The Copenhagen Allergy Study. Allergy 2000; 55: 767-772.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Dahl R., Andersen P.S., Chivato T. et al. J. National prevalence of respiratory allergic disorders. Respir Med 2004; 98 (05) 398-403.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Meggs W.J., Dunn K.A., Bloch R.M. et al. Prevalence and nature of allergy and chemical sensitivity in a general population. Arch Environ Health 1996; 51 (04) 275-282.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Danish Medicines Agency. Consumption of Asthma Medicine Among Adults in Denmark from 1994–1997 [in Danish: Forbruget af astmamedicin i 1994-1997 blandt voksne i Danmark]. København: Lægemiddelstyrelsen, December 1998, Internetnr 7871.
    PubMed
  • 13 Dahl R. Allergy. Living and Learning. Information from the Danish Asthma—Allergy Organization, København, 2002 [in Danish].
    PubMed
  • 14 Ernst E. Complementary therapies for asthma: what patients use. J Asthma 1998; 35 (08) 667-671.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Schafer T., Riehle A., Wichmann H.E. et al. Alternative medicine in allergies—prevalence, patterns of use, and costs. Allergy 2002; 57 (08) 694-700.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Becker-Witt C., Lüdtke R., Weißhuhn T.E.R. et al. Diagnoses and Treatment in Homeopathic Medical Practice. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Nat 2004; 11: 98-103.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Guthlin C., Lange O., Walach H. Measuring the effects of acupuncture and homoeopathy in general practice: an uncontrolled prospective documentation approach. BMC. Public Health 2004; 4: 6.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Alternative Medicine Committee. Report on Alternative Medicine compiled by the Alternative Medicine Committee appointed by the Parliament and The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in Norway [in Norwegian: NOU. Norges offentlige utredninger. Alternativ medisin]. Oslo,1998; p 21.
    PubMed
  • 19 Frank R. Integrating homeopathy and biomedicine: medical practice and knowledge production among German homeopathic physicians. Sociol Health Illness 2002; 24 (06) 796-819.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Andersen H.E. A study on Classic Homeopathy. Theories, Practice and User experiences. Frederiksværk: The Danish Society of Classical Homeopathy; 1999.
    Google Scholar
  • 21 Launsø L., Rieper J. General practitioners and classical homeopaths treatment models for asthma and allergy. Homeopathy 2005; 94: 17-25.
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 SAS/STAT User's Guide. Cary, NC: SAS Institute, 1990; pp. 866–867.
    PubMed
  • 23 Lewith G.T., Watkins A.D. Unconventional therapies in asthma: an overview. Allergy 1996; 51 (11) 761-769.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Linde K., Jobst K.A. Homeopathy for chronic asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000; 2: CD000353.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Ernst E. A systematic review of systematic reviews of homeopathy. Br. J Clin. Pharmacol. 2002; 54 (06) 577-581.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 McCarney R.W., Linde K., Lasserson T.J. Homeopathy for Chronic Asthma. The Cochrane Library, Chichester, UK: Wiley, 2004, p 1.
    PubMed
  • 27 Shang A., Huwiler-Müntener K., Nartey L. et al. Are the clinical effects of homeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of Homeopathy and allopathy. Lancet 2005; 366 (9487): 726-732.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar