The naturopathic approach to managing endomestriosis :  clinical insights into naturopathic practice

Redmond, Rebecca Janelle

The naturopathic approach to managing endomestriosis : clinical insights into naturopathic practice

Redmond, Rebecca Janelle

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2024

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Redmond, Rebecca Janelle
dc.date.accessioned	2024-12-12T02:35:40Z
dc.date.available	2024-12-12T02:35:40Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/182493
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Health.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 Women with endometriosis seek care from various health care practitioners for disease management. Naturopathy is frequently utilised by women with chronic diseases including reproductive diseases. However, there has been limited evidence exploring naturopathic care for women with endometriosis. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 A two-phase research design was employed using a cross-sectional study (Phase 1) and a mixed-methods sequential exploratory framework (Phase 2A and Phase 2B). Phase 1 surveyed the prevalence of naturopathic consultations by women with endometriosis via Endometriosis Australia and EndoActive using a 32-item questionnaire. Phase 2A involved a textual analysis of traditional and contemporary naturopathic texts identified through naturopathic educational institutions and libraries. Phase 2B surveyed naturopaths through the Practitioner Research And Collaboration Initiative (PRACI) using a 62-item questionnaire to describe the understanding, approach, and treatment characteristics of naturopathic care in managing endometriosis in clinical practice. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 Phase 1 identified that women with endometriosis who consult with a naturopath (19.8%) also consult with a laparoscopic surgeon, acupuncturist, physiotherapist, nutritionist/dietitian, and homeopath. These women are also more likely to experience dyspareunia (OR 2.9, CI 1.4-5.9, p = 0.002) and use vitamin D supplementation (OR 4.9, CI 2.5-9.9, p ≤ 0.001) compared to non-naturopathy users. Phase 2A identified that naturopathic texts contained herbal medicine recommendations for endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and menorrhagia, more than any other type of naturopathic modality. Both traditional and contemporary sources frequently reported self-care and dietary recommendations for dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, while endometriosis recommendations were absent from traditional sources. Massage therapy was the most common recommendation for multidisciplinary referrals across endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and menorrhagia. Lifestyle recommendations were prevalent for endometriosis care in Phase 2B (75.9%). Naturopaths approached endometriosis by reducing inflammatory factors (93.1%), assessing familial genetic history (89.6%), and supporting gastrointestinal function (86.2%). Naturopaths primarily referred women with endometriosis to general practitioners, (41.3%) and acupuncturists/traditional Chinese medicine practitioners (37.9%) with the clinical reasoning that women with endometriosis require a multidisciplinary approach. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 This thesis provides the first known investigations into naturopathy use for the management of endometriosis highlighting a significant history in the recommendation of naturopathic treatments that may have plausibility in endometriosis pathophysiology. Naturopathy consultations for endometriosis appear to align with a multidisciplinary approach that is currently the recommendation for contemporary care. Further research on the role and effectiveness of naturopathic care for women with endometriosis is warranted.	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/10453/182493/1/thesis.pdf
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
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	© 2024 Rebecca Janelle Redmond
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/cph
dc.title	The naturopathic approach to managing endomestriosis : clinical insights into naturopathic practice	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 Women with endometriosis seek care from various health care practitioners for disease management. Naturopathy is frequently utilised by women with chronic diseases including reproductive diseases. However, there has been limited evidence exploring naturopathic care for women with endometriosis. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 A two-phase research design was employed using a cross-sectional study (Phase 1) and a mixed-methods sequential exploratory framework (Phase 2A and Phase 2B). Phase 1 surveyed the prevalence of naturopathic consultations by women with endometriosis via Endometriosis Australia and EndoActive using a 32-item questionnaire. Phase 2A involved a textual analysis of traditional and contemporary naturopathic texts identified through naturopathic educational institutions and libraries. Phase 2B surveyed naturopaths through the Practitioner Research And Collaboration Initiative (PRACI) using a 62-item questionnaire to describe the understanding, approach, and treatment characteristics of naturopathic care in managing endometriosis in clinical practice. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 Phase 1 identified that women with endometriosis who consult with a naturopath (19.8%) also consult with a laparoscopic surgeon, acupuncturist, physiotherapist, nutritionist/dietitian, and homeopath. These women are also more likely to experience dyspareunia (OR 2.9, CI 1.4-5.9, p = 0.002) and use vitamin D supplementation (OR 4.9, CI 2.5-9.9, p ≤ 0.001) compared to non-naturopathy users. Phase 2A identified that naturopathic texts contained herbal medicine recommendations for endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and menorrhagia, more than any other type of naturopathic modality. Both traditional and contemporary sources frequently reported self-care and dietary recommendations for dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, while endometriosis recommendations were absent from traditional sources. Massage therapy was the most common recommendation for multidisciplinary referrals across endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and menorrhagia. Lifestyle recommendations were prevalent for endometriosis care in Phase 2B (75.9%). Naturopaths approached endometriosis by reducing inflammatory factors (93.1%), assessing familial genetic history (89.6%), and supporting gastrointestinal function (86.2%). Naturopaths primarily referred women with endometriosis to general practitioners, (41.3%) and acupuncturists/traditional Chinese medicine practitioners (37.9%) with the clinical reasoning that women with endometriosis require a multidisciplinary approach. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 This thesis provides the first known investigations into naturopathy use for the management of endometriosis highlighting a significant history in the recommendation of naturopathic treatments that may have plausibility in endometriosis pathophysiology. Naturopathy consultations for endometriosis appear to align with a multidisciplinary approach that is currently the recommendation for contemporary care. Further research on the role and effectiveness of naturopathic care for women with endometriosis is warranted.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/182493