Complementary therapies: have they become accepted in general practice?

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To describe Victorian general practitioners' attitudes towards and use of a range of complementary therapies. DESIGN: A self-administered postal survey sent to a random sample of 800 general practitioners (GPs) in Victoria in July 1997. PARTICIPANTS: 488 GPs (response rate, 64%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: GPs' knowledge; opinions about harmfulness and effectiveness; appropriateness for GPs to practise; perceived patient demand; need for undergraduate education; referral rates to complementary practitioners; and training in and practice of each therapy. RESULTS: Acupuncture, hypnosis and meditation are well accepted by the surveyed GPs, as over 80% have referred patients patients to ..