Patients with medical cards, entitling them to free health care, are willing to pay for complementary medicine, the results of a study published at the WONCA medical conference yesterday show.
The study, carried out in the North Eastern Health Board area, among 546 patients, found that complementary medicine was very popular among patients in the general medical scheme (GMS).
They attended complementary practitioners, according to Dr Neasa McDonagh who carried out the study, for "everything and anything" including arthritis, skin disorders, giving up smoking, and thrush. Often conventional medicine was not providing relief for chronic problems. While they were willing to pay, she said, most would like it included in the GMS.
To date, surveys of complementary medicine have concentrated on people from higher socio-economic groups, according to Dr Ilona Duffy, who was also involved in the survey. Their research had shown it was also popular among patients with medical cards.
However, these patients more often than not were not telling their GPs they were also attending complementary medicine practitioners such as homeopaths, acupuncturists, chiropractors, reflexologists, osteopaths, and "folk curers".
But those who did got a positive reaction from their family doctor. "Of course, GPs should also remember to ask their patients," said Dr McDonagh. Patients also indicated they would like their GPs to refer them to complementary practitioners.
The majority of people felt they had benefited from complementary medicine. Some said they got a complete cure, a large number had got relief, a small number felt it was of no benefit, while "a tiny proportion" felt worse afterwards.
Dr McDonagh warned there were "a lot of quacks" practising complementary medicine who could cause harm to people. It would be difficult for GPs to refer patients because of the lack of formal registration in many cases or lack of scientific proof.