Consultation and communication with complementary medicine practitioners by those with chronic health conditions: A analysis of population-and-practice-based datasets

Foley, Hope Maree

Consultation and communication with complementary medicine practitioners by those with chronic health conditions: A analysis of population-and-practice-based datasets

Foley, Hope Maree

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2021

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Foley, Hope Maree
dc.date.accessioned	2021-10-26T05:59:15Z
dc.date.available	2021-10-26T05:59:15Z
dc.date.issued	2021
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/151216
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Health.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	Background: Chronic conditions contribute an increasing burden to health systems. The complexity and duration of chronic conditions create substantial challenges for patients and care providers, requiring ongoing, multi-disciplinary, person-centred care (PCC). While evidence suggests high utilisation of complementary medicine (CM) practitioner services by those with chronic conditions, research is limited regarding the role of CM consultations for these individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was employed across two phases at a national population level (Phase One, n=2,019), and a multi-profession CM clinical practice-based setting (Phase Two n=191). Analyses focussed on participants with chronic conditions (Phase One n=1,314, Phase Two n=153). Data were collected on socio-demographics, health status, CM and conventional medicine service utilisation behaviours, and patient communication regarding disclosure of treatment use to CM practitioners and medical doctors. Phase Two also examined patient perceptions of PCC during consultation with CM practitioners as compared with medical doctors. Results: Phase One found a substantial rate of CM practitioner consultation by those with chronic conditions (38%) and Phase Two found a high prevalence of chronic conditions amongst those consulting CM practitioners (80%). CM consultation by those with chronic conditions was motivated by a desire for improved wellbeing and supportive, compassionate care, alongside treatment of chronic conditions. Patient perceptions of PCC during CM consultation were consistently high, and were higher than perceptions of PCC during consultation with medical doctors. The Phase One and Phase Two datasets differed regarding rates of disclosure of treatment use to providers. However, the reasons reported for disclosing or not disclosing were similar across both datasets and for all professions; disclosure predominantly related to patient desires to have their health status fully understood, while non-disclosure related to a lack of provider inquiry. Disclosure was found to be associated with higher perceptions of PCC, regarding both CM (p=0.0118) and conventional medicine (p=0.0033) settings. Conclusion: This thesis maps a landscape of the role CM practitioners play for individuals with chronic conditions in Australia by exploring the characteristics, care-seeking and communication behaviours, and perceptions of care of these individuals regarding the CM consultation experience. This thesis describes the context of CM consultation for chronic condition management within the wider field of chronic illness care in Australia, highlighting a need for more pragmatic coordination of care. The results presented here call for further research that considers the potential utility of greater integration of CM in Australia for optimal, PCC for those with chronic conditions.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/151216/2/02whole.pdf
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/ppc
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Consultation and communication with complementary medicine practitioners by those with chronic health conditions: A analysis of population-and-practice-based datasets	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

Background: Chronic conditions contribute an increasing burden to health systems. The complexity and duration of chronic conditions create substantial challenges for patients and care providers, requiring ongoing, multi-disciplinary, person-centred care (PCC). While evidence suggests high utilisation of complementary medicine (CM) practitioner services by those with chronic conditions, research is limited regarding the role of CM consultations for these individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was employed across two phases at a national population level (Phase One, n=2,019), and a multi-profession CM clinical practice-based setting (Phase Two n=191). Analyses focussed on participants with chronic conditions (Phase One n=1,314, Phase Two n=153). Data were collected on socio-demographics, health status, CM and conventional medicine service utilisation behaviours, and patient communication regarding disclosure of treatment use to CM practitioners and medical doctors. Phase Two also examined patient perceptions of PCC during consultation with CM practitioners as compared with medical doctors. Results: Phase One found a substantial rate of CM practitioner consultation by those with chronic conditions (38%) and Phase Two found a high prevalence of chronic conditions amongst those consulting CM practitioners (80%). CM consultation by those with chronic conditions was motivated by a desire for improved wellbeing and supportive, compassionate care, alongside treatment of chronic conditions. Patient perceptions of PCC during CM consultation were consistently high, and were higher than perceptions of PCC during consultation with medical doctors. The Phase One and Phase Two datasets differed regarding rates of disclosure of treatment use to providers. However, the reasons reported for disclosing or not disclosing were similar across both datasets and for all professions; disclosure predominantly related to patient desires to have their health status fully understood, while non-disclosure related to a lack of provider inquiry. Disclosure was found to be associated with higher perceptions of PCC, regarding both CM (p=0.0118) and conventional medicine (p=0.0033) settings. Conclusion: This thesis maps a landscape of the role CM practitioners play for individuals with chronic conditions in Australia by exploring the characteristics, care-seeking and communication behaviours, and perceptions of care of these individuals regarding the CM consultation experience. This thesis describes the context of CM consultation for chronic condition management within the wider field of chronic illness care in Australia, highlighting a need for more pragmatic coordination of care. The results presented here call for further research that considers the potential utility of greater integration of CM in Australia for optimal, PCC for those with chronic conditions.

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