The Case for Homeopathy
C. HIGH RATE OF PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH HOMEOPATHY
i. Outcome studies
ii. Large case series
iii. Patient satisfaction
There are other research methods, besides randomized
clinical trials and meta-analyses that may be used to investigate the
effectiveness and validity of a method of treatment, such as outcome
studies, large case series and assessment of patient satisfaction with
the treatment that they have received. These are particularly relevant
where randomized trials may not have been of the best quality, for whatever
reason, including budgetary constraints or poor methodology.
i. OUTCOME STUDIES
Adult and childhood asthma at the Royal London Homoeopathic
Hospital
This study followed up 24 adults and 25 children with asthma and found
that 71% of the adults and 80% of the children experienced improvements
in their symptoms following homeopathic treatment 25.
Two thirds of the adults and almost as many of the children reduced
their need for inhalers and 60% of the parents of the children reported
a decrease in the need to consult their GP for urgent asthma treatments.
Palliative cancer care at the Royal London Homoeopathic
Hospital
A study of 50 consecutive patients with cancer who were attending the
RLHH complementary therapy cancer clinic was performed 26.
Three quarters of these patients had spread or recurrence of their cancers
before being referred to the clinic. Standard questionnaires showed
statistically significant improvements in anxiety/depression and also
in the physical symptoms of these patients after treatment.
Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital Inpatients
In 1991, 100 sequential inpatients at the Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital
were assessed three months after discharge: 58% reported significant
improvements in their main complaint and 67% had similar improvements
in mood and well-being.
This research was repeated in 1997 on another 100 sequential
in-patients 27, whose diagnoses included
multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression/anxiety and
malignancy. Forty-one per cent had uncontrolled pain from a range of
conditions, including migraine, osteoporosis, arthritis and angina.
Whilst all the patients reported that their presenting complaint affected
their daily well-being, 85% reported major disruption to their daily
life and 83% had failed to respond to conventional treatment.
Three months after discharge, 85% had an improvement
in their presenting complaint, 89% had an improvement in overall coping,
88% an improvement in overall well-being and only 6% had a significant
deterioration of their presenting complaint. Ninety per cent rated GHH
integrated care as better or very much better than conventional care
and 86% thought the GHH in-patient care crucial to or very important
in their recovery.
2001 Multinational outcomes study
David Riley M.D., an American doctor and homeopath published the results
of an outcomes study in 2001 in which 30 medical doctors in four countries
investigated the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment in 500 consecutive
patients with upper or lower respiratory tract complaints (including
allergies) and ear complaints, compared to conventional medicine28.
79% of the homeopathically treated patients were very satisfied versus
65% of the conventionally treated group. Improvement was noted within
1-3 days in 67% of the homeopathically treated group, compared to 57%
of the conventionally treated group.
ii. LARGE CASE SERIES: BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF
HOMEOPATHY IN PATIENT’S LIVES
Outpatient care at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital
Doctors at B.H.H. looked at the outcomes of 2000 patients attending
B.H.H. in a 12 month period from November 1997 and found that more than
70% of the patients achieved what they described as "moderately
better" or "much better" results 29.
Almost all the patients in the analysis had previously received mainstream
medical intervention at the secondary care level and had either failed
to respond satisfactorily or had been unable to tolerate the medication
prescribed.
A summary of the results is shown below. (+3 much better,
+2 moderately better, +1 slightly better, 0 unchanged, -1 slightly worse,
- 2 moderately worse, - 3 much worse) The assessment included as much
objectivity as possible, e.g. for asthma, objective assessments such
as improvements in peak flow measurements and decreased usage of beta2
agonists formed important elements in the clinical outcome assessment.
| Condition |
+2 or better |
Improvement |
| Arthritis (excluding RA) |
38% |
70% |
| IBS |
51% |
75% |
| Crohn’s disease / ulcerative colitis |
69% |
79% |
| MS |
36% |
76% |
| Cancer |
49% |
77% |
| Menopause |
68% |
85% |
| Headache/migraine |
44% |
79% |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome |
37% |
75% |
| Asthma (under-16s) |
63% |
87% |
| Asthma (under 16 last visit) |
69% |
90% |
| Asthma (adults) |
60% |
87% |
| Eczema (adults) |
51% |
82% |
| Eczema (under-16s) |
56% |
80% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis |
30% |
66% |
| Paediatrics |
53% |
80% |
| Paediatrics (at last visit) |
57.2% |
81.8% |
| Overall |
43.8% |
74.6% |
| Overall (at last visit) |
46.3% |
75.7% |
| Female adults |
42.4% |
74.4% |
| Male adults |
39.3% |
70% |
| Girls (under 16) |
57.3% |
83.6% |
| Boys (under 16) |
57% |
80% |
This study was extended up until 2004, when it
was reported that over 6000 consecutive out-patient visits resulted
in over 70% of the patient-visits returning an assessment of the treatment
as having “significantly improved the quality of their lives”.
Outpatient care at Tunbridge Wells Homoeopathic
Hospital
A study of 1372 patients who had attended the outpatient department
at T.W.H.H. showed that overall improvement was reported by more than
three quarters of the patients30. The greatest benefit was demonstrated
in women with breast cancer who either had depression/anxiety or hot
flushes.
The following table shows the percentage of patients reporting positive
benefit (+1, +2 or +3 improvement):
| Condition |
+1 or better |
| Eczema |
80% |
| Psoriasis |
68% |
| Acne |
72% |
| Osteoarthritis |
79% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis |
80% |
| Chronic back pain |
84% |
| Asthma |
67% |
| Chronic catarrh |
72% |
| Hayfever |
71% |
| Carcinoma of breast - hot flushes |
80% |
| Carcinoma of breast - depression/anxiety |
92% |
Report from the University Hospital Freiburg,
Germany, on the effects of homeopathy and acupuncture
An interim report on the effects of homeopathy (and acupuncture) in
1,453 patients was published by the Department of Environmental Medicine
of the University Hospital Freiburg, Germany, in 200031. 83% of patients
rated the therapies as efficacious or partly efficacious. Of note, was
the significant improvement in quality of life in all dimensions. The
involved doctor’s measured an 80% improvement of the main diagnosis
in their patients.
iii. PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT
GHH surveyed patient’s rating of their treatment
In a survey carried out at the Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital, 81% of
patients rated their care as very good or excellent, with only 9% choosing
to be treated only by conventional medicine in future 32.
RLHH survey of patients’ satisfaction levels and perspectives
about their treatment The Royal London Homeopathic Hospital conducted
a survey of patients' perspectives 33
in which high levels of patient satisfaction were found. Two-thirds
of the patients suffered from chronic conditions which had lasted more
than five years, and most had come to the hospital because other forms
of treatment had not helped, yet over 80% said the condition being treated
at the hospital had improved. 85% were receiving homeopathy for their
condition.
A high to moderate improvement in the condition of their main health
problem was reported by 62% of patients since starting treatment. 60%
of patients also reported a significant improvement in their feeling
of well-being, and over one-third of patients said that other problems
had also improved. These problems were psychiatric (anxiety, stress,
depression), musculoskeletal, skin and digestive system disorders.
Demand for complementary treatment came from the patients. 79% asked
their GP for a referral, while just 15% were referred at their GP's
suggestion (although there seemed to be a trend towards more GP-instigated
referrals).
UCLA assessment of patient satisfaction with homeopathic treatment
In 1995 researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles assessed
patient satisfaction with homeopathic treatment in 104 new patients
who had enrolled with 9 classical homeopaths 34.
Satisfaction with homeopathic treatment was high, regardless of outcome.
80% of patients reported earlier, unsuccessful attempts to get relief
from mainstream care. 71% of participants reported improvement of the
primary complaint four months after treatment
European survey of health-related quality-of-life
issues in 1,025 patients
A pilot survey about health-related quality-of-life issues in 1,025
patients being treated homeopathically, in six European countries, was
reported in the peer-reviewed medical homeopathic journal Homeopathy
in 2002 35. Satisfaction with consultations
was high. 83% of respondents had previously tried conventional treatment.
Multi-national investigation into the effectiveness
of homeopathic treatment in respiratory infections
30 medical doctors in four countries compared effectiveness of homeopathic
treatment with conventional medicine in 500 consecutive patients with
respiratory tract and ear complaints (including allergies) 28:
• 79% of the homeopathically treated patients
were very satisfied versus 65% of those conventionally treated
• 83% of the homeopathically treated patients
were cured or showed major improvement after 14 days, compared to 68%
of the conventionally treated group
• Improvement within 1-3 days was noted in 67%
of the homeopathically treated group, compared to 57% of the conventionally
treated group.
• 60% of cases in both treatment groups had consultations
lasting between 5 and 15 minutes.
References
25. Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital. Audit Report
1994/95. London: RLHH.
26. Clover A, Last P, Fisher P, et al. Complementary
cancer therapy: a pilot study of patients, therapies and quality of
life. Complement Ther Med 1995; 3 (3): 129-33.
27. International Data Collection Centres for Integrative
Medicine. A review of inpatient care integrating complementary and orthodox
medicine at Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital. Interim inpatient report,
1998.
28. Riley D. et al Homeopathy and conventional
medicine: an outcomes study comparing effectiveness in a primary care
setting J Altern Complement Med 2001 7(2):149-59
29. Spence D. Clinical Outcome Audit - Bristol
Homoeopathic Hospital Conference proceedings: Improving the Success
of Homoeopathy 2. London. RLHH. 1999. P75
30. Clover A. Conference proceedings: Improving
the Success of Homoeopathy 2. London. RLHH. 1999. P76.
31. Walach H., Guthlin C. Effects of acupuncture
and homeopathy: prospective documentation. Interim results. Br Homeopath
J 2000 89 Suppl 1:S31-4
32. Reilly D. The evidence for homoeopathy. (Produced
for Grampian Health Board.) Glasgow: Academic Departments of Homeopathy,
1995.
33.Sharples F, van Haselen R.. Patients' perspectives
on using a complementary medicine approach to their health. A survey
at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital NHS Trust. London: 1998.
34.Goldstein M.S., Glik D. Use of and satisfaction
with homeopathy in a patient population
Altern Ther Health Med 1998 4(2):60-5
35. Anelli M. et al Homeopathy and health related
Quality of Life: a survey in six European countries Homeopathy 2002
91(1):18-21
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