Open AccessExpectations of patients and parents of children with asthma regarding access to complementary therapy information and services via the NHS: a qualitative study
Author(s) -
Shaw Alison,
Thompson Elizabeth A.,
Sharp Deborah J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
health expectations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.314
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1369-7625
pISSN - 1369-6513
DOI - 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2006.00402.x
Subject(s) - medicine , asthma , homeopathy , family medicine , complementary therapy , alternative medicine , qualitative research , nursing , social science , pathology , sociology
Objective To explore the expectations of patients and parents of children with asthma regarding access to complementary therapies via the NHS. Methods Fifty semi‐structured interviews with adults and parents of children with asthma, from a range of health‐care settings, including users and non‐users of complementary therapies. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data were analysed thematically. Results Thirty‐one patients were using complementary therapies for asthma, six were using complementary therapies for other health problems and 13 were non‐users. Various therapies were used for asthma, most commonly homeopathy and breathing techniques, predominantly outside the NHS. Two broad themes emerging from the data were expectations about access to information and knowledge about complementary therapies via NHS health professionals, and expectations regarding access to complementary therapy services via the NHS. As a minimum, the majority of participants wanted NHS health professionals to be more ‘open’ towards and know more about complementary therapies than their patients – perceived as not currently usual. Most were positive about greater NHS access to complementary therapy services, for enhancing patient choice, improving equality in access for less affluent patients and facilitating patients’ self‐help. Participants who were highly sceptical about complementary therapies argued that lack of scientific evidence of effectiveness prohibited the need for greater complementary therapy knowledge or service provision within the NHS. Alongside their expectations, patients and parents expressed realistic views about facilitators and barriers to greater access. Conclusions While health service planners and providers often express reservations about the value of complementary therapies, it is important to take patients’ preferences into account if policy discourses regarding patient‐centred care and choice are to be realized in practice.