Abstract
Health and holistic quality of life, physical and emotional needs, somatic and spiritual aspects contain a comprehensive promise of healing. The aim of the current study is to measure the expectations of patients of medicine, alternative medicine and religion related to health and illness. The survey was carried out among 103 patients of a rural general practitioner from May to June 2013 and among 103 patients of the outpatient department for endocrinology and metabolic disease of the Jena University Hospital in 2013. All patients were asked by one interviewer (HM) on fears in relation to health/illness and expectations of help for its own life, medicine, alternative medicine and religion. The biggest fear of patients is “being in need of help of others.” There is no significant difference between religious and non-religious patients. Overall, the expectations of medicine were significantly higher in all sectors than in alternative medicine or religion. Comparing alternative medicine and religion, the expectations of alternative medicine were significantly higher excluding consolation and inner peace. The expectations for medicine in general and for the physician are very high and comprehensive and go beyond diagnosis and realization of therapies. Patients expect hope, guidance, support, comfort, inner peace and advice most from medicine. This results in considerable challenges for the physician, especially in a healthcare system with limited resources and without suitable offers. There is an urgent need to integrate these requirements into daily routine.
Highlights
Health is an essential good of men and is yet due to this high-value assignment a subject to individual effort
The mean age was 56.3 years, and there was a majority of females (59.2%). 29.65% of respondents reported that they are a member of a religious group. 23.3% asserted that they have a current disease and 70.9% are affected by a chronic disease
Based on our survey of patients of a general practitioners and a university clinic for endocrinology and metabolic disease, we identified a collective of participants with great fear regarding health/illness
Summary
Health is an essential good of men and is yet due to this high-value assignment a subject to individual effort. The offerings are considerably more comprehensive than healthy diet and physical activities. A comprehensive planning of lifestyle should actively restore the connection of body, mind and soul. Health and holistic quality of life, physical and emotional needs, somatic and spiritual aspects contain a comprehensive promise of healing. Despite—or perhaps because of—the major advances in modern medicine, naturopathy and alternative medicine are playing an increasingly role. They promise their customers a holistic treatment of body, mind and soul and see themselves in contrast to scientifically founded methods and conventional medicine (Dachverband Deutscher Heilpraktikerverbände e.V. n.d.)
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