Abstract
Background and objectives: There have not earlier been studies focusing on experiences of Danish diabetic patients using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) – considered from the patients’ point of view. The existing studies mostly based on quantitative methods of patients with diabetes prevalence in use of CAM, which is generally rather low, especially the CAM used
specifically for diabetes. The objective of this paper is to develop concepts to understand patients having experiences and positions of diabetes in their use of CAM.
Methods: This qualitative study its inspiration from grounded theory. The data originate from an explorative study based on semi-structured individual in-depth interviews with ten diabetic using CAM. The selection of patients for the interviews was based on several strategies.
Results: In order to understand the patients’ experiences and positions of CAM, the concepts – ‘push’, ‘pull’, ‘press-into’, ‘stop’ and ‘stay’ were used, and further the concepts of the amount of the patients’ general CAM experiences: infrequent clients, established clients and orthodox clients, and in addition, CAM used specificly for diabetes, the aim of using CAM: wellness, prevention or
cure, and the specific type of CAM used. The experiences of the patients were connected with these factors. The results of this study are that infrequent clients are not positioned towards CAM specificly for diabetes. The established clients using CAM were posited towards CAM supplying conventional treatment, and this to a relatively low degree. Analyses show that they do not have the
strength to follow the conventional recommendations and the alternative self-care management (CAM) at the same time, which may contribute to the understanding of diabetic non-CAM positions. Some of the established clients, however, are positioned as user of both complementary and alternative medicine and conventional treatments, such as biological, homeopathic, and
traditional Chinese medicine. The main factors that drive them to this are the aim, the hope, the belief, and knowledge how to cure diabetes.
Conclusion: The study shows that the decisive difference of how diabetics are positioned as to complementary and alternative self-care is the way in which they have the strength and hope, believe and knowledge of how to cure disease which by people in general is regarded as chronic.
specifically for diabetes. The objective of this paper is to develop concepts to understand patients having experiences and positions of diabetes in their use of CAM.
Methods: This qualitative study its inspiration from grounded theory. The data originate from an explorative study based on semi-structured individual in-depth interviews with ten diabetic using CAM. The selection of patients for the interviews was based on several strategies.
Results: In order to understand the patients’ experiences and positions of CAM, the concepts – ‘push’, ‘pull’, ‘press-into’, ‘stop’ and ‘stay’ were used, and further the concepts of the amount of the patients’ general CAM experiences: infrequent clients, established clients and orthodox clients, and in addition, CAM used specificly for diabetes, the aim of using CAM: wellness, prevention or
cure, and the specific type of CAM used. The experiences of the patients were connected with these factors. The results of this study are that infrequent clients are not positioned towards CAM specificly for diabetes. The established clients using CAM were posited towards CAM supplying conventional treatment, and this to a relatively low degree. Analyses show that they do not have the
strength to follow the conventional recommendations and the alternative self-care management (CAM) at the same time, which may contribute to the understanding of diabetic non-CAM positions. Some of the established clients, however, are positioned as user of both complementary and alternative medicine and conventional treatments, such as biological, homeopathic, and
traditional Chinese medicine. The main factors that drive them to this are the aim, the hope, the belief, and knowledge how to cure diabetes.
Conclusion: The study shows that the decisive difference of how diabetics are positioned as to complementary and alternative self-care is the way in which they have the strength and hope, believe and knowledge of how to cure disease which by people in general is regarded as chronic.
Originalsprog | Dansk |
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Status | Udgivet - 30 jun. 2008 |
Emneord
- Sundhed, ernæring og livskvalitet
- alternativ behandling
- diabetes
- patientperspektiv