Delivery of Health Care

BACKGROUND: With increasing frequency, patients with cancer and their family members are turning to the Internet to educate themselves about their disease and treatment options, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and supportive care. However, very little is known about how national leading cancer centers represent these therapies via their websites. METHODS: Simulating the perspective of an information-seeking patient or family member, we performed a systematic analysis of the websites of 41 National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer centers.

BACKGROUND: With increasing frequency, patients with cancer and their family members are turning to the Internet to educate themselves about their disease and treatment options, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and supportive care. However, very little is known about how national leading cancer centers represent these therapies via their websites. METHODS: Simulating the perspective of an information-seeking patient or family member, we performed a systematic analysis of the websites of 41 National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer centers.

BACKGROUND: With increasing frequency, patients with cancer and their family members are turning to the Internet to educate themselves about their disease and treatment options, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and supportive care. However, very little is known about how national leading cancer centers represent these therapies via their websites. METHODS: Simulating the perspective of an information-seeking patient or family member, we performed a systematic analysis of the websites of 41 National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer centers.

AIM: To reflect on the definition of compassion and analyse the concepts encompassed by the term. BACKGROUND: A large number of authors have defined compassion, with certain nuances that differ from case to case. This raises the need for specificity in the definition of the term. DATA SOURCES: First, a systematic search was conducted of scientific databases. Second, a selection of experts were consulted and a request made to them for specific articles. Third, the snowball method was used.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based therapies are being used in a wide range of common chronic conditions in both treatment and prevention despite lack of consensus about their effectiveness in different patient categories. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the evidence of effectiveness MBSR and MBCT in different patient categories. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews of RCTs, using the standardized MBSR or MBCT programs.

In an overview new data from the literature regarding alternative/complementary medicine are presented. Naturopathy, acupuncture and homeopathy as well as new findings in placebo-research and their correlation to alternative medicine are discussed. In addition, as a synthesis a patient-orientated so-called anthropologic medicine is recommended to make alternative/complementary medicine unnecessary.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the views of government spokespersons regarding the efforts of five complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) groups (chiropractic, traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy and Reiki) to take their place in the formal health care system. DESIGN: In this small scale, exploratory study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 10 key government officials at the federal (5), provincial (4) and municipal (1) levels.

BACKGROUND: The demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment in the European Union (EU) has led to an increase in the various CAM interventions available to the public. Our aim was to describe the CAM services available from both registered medical practitioners and registered non-medical practitioners.

PURPOSE: The socioeconomic determinants for drug utilization, especially in children, have not been investigated sufficiently so far. The study's aim was the estimation of prevalences and determinants of conventional, homeopathic and phytotherapeutic drugs and expenditures. METHODS: Population-based data on drug utilization of 3,642 children in two German birth cohorts (GINIplus and LISAplus, 10-year follow-up) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.