Does trust in health care influence the use of complementary and alternative medicine by chronically ill people?

A Van Den Brink-Muinen,Pm Rijken

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-6-188

Abstract

BackgroundPeople's trust in health care and health care professionals is essential for the effectiveness of health care, especially for chronically ill people, since chronic diseases are by definition (partly) incurable. Therefore, it may be understandable that chronically ill people turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), often in addition to regular care. Chronically ill people use CAM two to five times more often than non-chronically ill people. The trust of chronically ill people in health care and health care professionals and the relationship of this with CAM use have not been reported until now. In this study, we examine the influence of chronically ill people's trust in health care and health care professionals on CAM use.MethodsThe present sample comprises respondents of the 'Panel of Patients with Chronic Diseases' (PPCD). Patients (≥25 years) were selected by GPs. A total of 1,625 chronically ill people were included. Trust and CAM use was measured by a written questionnaire. Statistical analyses were t tests for independent samples, Chi-square and one-way analysis of variance, and logistic regression analysis.ResultsChronically ill people have a relatively low level of trust in future health care. They trust certified alternative practitioners less than regular health care professionals, and non-certified alternative practitioners less still. The less trust patients have in future health care, the more they will be inclined to use CAM, when controlling for socio-demographic and disease characteristics.ConclusionTrust in future health care is a significant predictor of CAM use. Chronically ill people's use of CAM may increase in the near future. Health policy makers should, therefore, be alert to the quality of practising alternative practitioners, for example by insisting on professional certification. Equally, good quality may increase people's trust in public health care.

Highlights

People's trust in health care and health care professionals is essential for the effectiveness of health care, especially for chronically ill people, since chronic diseases are by definition incurable
The use of complementary and alternative medicine by chronically ill people is best explained by the fact that the chronically ill people are somewhat pessimistic about the future of Dutch health care
The relatively low confidence in future health care might be related to current social developments, such as the change of the (Dutch) financing system of health care and the higher costs arising from this change; the change of institutions that are responsible for payments; and the cuts in reimbursements of costs

Summary

Introduction

People's trust in health care and health care professionals is essential for the effectiveness of health care, especially for chronically ill people, since chronic diseases are by definition (partly) incurable. The trust of chronically ill people in health care and health care professionals and the relationship of this with CAM use have not been reported until now. We examine the influence of chronically ill people's trust in health care and health care professionals on CAM use. In a more recent study it was concluded that trust in health care remains relatively stable [5]: Determinants of trust cited are a longer relationship with the physician, doctor's communication skills and doctor-patient interaction [7,8]. A lack of trust may cause patients to ask more often for a second opinion or to be more inclined to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) [7,9,10]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion