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to a questionnaire. Almost 96% of the obstetrics | used acupuncture.” A survey of patients in Germany departments offered homeopathic medicines for — with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia found that 44% had obstetric care, including 7.2% exclusively for prophylaxis used alternative treatments. No correlation was seen and 4.8% for birth complications.” with educational level, gender, or previous or current The 2003-2006 German Health Interview and chemotherapy. The most common alternative or Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents complementary treatment modality was vitamin (KiGGS) found a higher than expected use of supplementation (26%), followed by mineral (18%), omeopathic medicine amongst German children. The homeopathic (14%) and mistletoe (9.2%) therapy.” survey found that paediatric homeopathy is quite A 2008 survey of German children with cancer found popular in Germany, particularly amongst children from that 35% of the responders had used CAM. The most amilies with a higher socio-economic status. Nearly frequently used methods were homeopathy, dietary alf of the homeopathic preparations were obtained by — supplements and anthroposophical medicine including prescriptions from medical doctors or heilpraktikers (non- mistletoe therapy. Factors which increased the medical practitioners) and used most often to treat probability of using CAM were the previous use of CAM, certain self-limiting conditions. About 60% of higher social status and poor prognosis of a child's omeopathy users concomitantly disease. An impressively high received conventional medicines. percentage (89%) of parents of these Homeopathy use was closely related patients reported that they would 0 socio-economic factors, with a In comparison recommend CAM to other parents.” significantly higher prevalence rate . . The use of homeopathy and CAM in ound in the 0-6-year age group with conventional Germany by people with other chronic (prevalence 6.2%, odds ratio 2.2, 95% ici diseases is also high, as was observed confidence intervals [Cl] 1.7-2.9), medicine, MOTs in a survey of Germans with multiple among children residing in the former patients displayed sclerosis. A 53-item survey was mailed the south of Germany [6.6% 1.7,| @POSitive attitude | ee ie” German. Multiple .3-2.4), among children with a poor towards Sclerosis Society. Surveys of 1,573 ealth status (6.8%, 3.0, 2.2-4.2), with patients (48.5 + 11.7 years, 74% women, no immigration background (5.3%, complementary duration of illness 18.1 + 10.5 nee who received breatt- and alternative years) were analysed. " eeding for more than six months . oe . comparison with conventiona (7.6%, 2.1, 1.6-2.9), were from medicine..., with medicine, more patients displayed upper social-class families (7.4%, 70% reporting a positive attitude towards .8, 1.1-2.8), and whose mothers p 9 complementary and alternative were university educated (7.2%, lifetime use of at medicine (44% vs 38%, p<0.05), 6, 1.22.2). least one method. with 70% reporting lifetime use of In 2002, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) reported that 75% of Germans have used at least one method. Among a wide variety of complementary and alternative medicine options, diet complementary or _ natural modification (41%), omega-3 fatty medicine. It also reported that, by acids (37%), vitamins E (28%), B 1994, 5,700 doctors had received specialised training in (36%) and C (28%), homeopathy (26%) and selenium natural medicine, with this number doubling to 10,800 (24%) were cited most frequently. Most respondents by 2000. Homeopathic medicine was practised by 4,500 (69%) were satisfied with the effects of complementary medical doctors in Germany as at 2002, almost twice as _—_ and alternative medicine. many as in 1994. According to the report, the German Use of CAM was associated with religiosity, functional government, which conducted this survey, discovered independence, female sex, white-collar job and higher that there was a 33% reduction in sick days if people education (p<0.05). Compared with conventional used natural therapies, especially homeopathy or _ therapies, complementary and alternative medicine rarely acupuncture. It was also reported that women used — showed unwanted side effects (9% vs 59%, p<0.00001). natural therapies more than men did, but when men _ Sales of homeopathic medicines in Germany were used them they benefited more than women did.” approximately US$428 million in 1991, growing at a rate In 2009, a survey of Germans who used homeopathy of about 10% per year. Evidence of the significant or acupuncture was published. This survey found that — support from the German medical community is the fact 7% of the population used homeopathy and 10% used that 85% of these sales are prescriptions from acupuncture. Of individuals who had a high education _ physicians. Surveys indicate that 98% of pharmacies level, 68% used homeopathy as compared with 53% who __ sell homeopathic medicines.” medicine, more patients displayed a positive attitude towards complementary and alternative were medicine..., with 70% reporting lifetime use of at or 26 * NEXUS In comparison with conventional least one method. OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com