Unit 14 Resub: Alternative Approaches To Health Care

Unit 14 resub:

Alternative health approaches to health care are analysed using a broad range of of research to get various concepts and understanding of the CAM therapies. In 1986 Aakster did a research on how CAM therapies varied fro the traditional biomedical treatments. In his conclusion he found three models that suited medical perspective as listed below;

(ii). The pharmaceutical model believes that disease is treated using technology and drugs.

(ii). Intergrational is a model in which various perspectives such as, psychological, sociological, and biomedical methods are used in diagnosing an illness.

(iii). Holistic model an ancient model which focuses on the whole person. Rather than a specific biological issue.

On his comparison

The CAM approach views health as the body being in balance both inside and outside.

(b). Disease is explained by biomedical as a biological failure in the specific body part or tissue, however CAM sees disease as a problem in the whole body.

(c). In biomedical aetiology is used in the diagnosis and cause of a disease, whereas CAM looks at how the body works and how the patient has been affected by the disease.

(d). The biomedical therapy aims to heal or curb the cause of the disease, however as CAM therapy aims to strengthen life forces.

(e). In biomedicine a patient is a passive participant whereas in the CAM approach the patient takes an active role in the therapy.

CAM therapies were put into these groups psychological, physical and paranormal, the healers can be from thoroughly trained however some have received no training at all. There many theories and concepts around CAM which shows that there are a lot of miscommunications within this community.

In a research conducted people in different countries were asked what they thought was the reason why people would choose to use CAM therapies (Ernst,Willoughby, and Weihmeyr, 1999). In their findings they concluded that people thought it was an extra option to try however not that traditional biomedical was

BMA emphasis that traditional biomedical approach "uses fully qualified, nationally recognised practitioners who are fully licensed to practice" so this means that their treatments are the "norm", giving an impression that CAM therapies are not. A BMA report in 1986 argued that CAM therapies were based on myth and precept and cannot be trusted. However these attitudes may be changing in our time.

CAM therapies has gained a lot of popularity, this is seen by sociologists as partly due to the 'socio-political' change and the growth in demand for these therapies by the public. The U.K, has a wide recognition of the integration of traditional biomedical and CAM therapies. Some health care professionals such as the physiotherapy has many of its professionals trained in acupuncture and the GPs are making referrals for their patients to some form of CAM therapy treatments, for stress relief and relaxation purposes.

The acceptance of CAM therapies is affected by the strength of the barrier caused by the traditional biomedical professionals who occupy the top positions and the powerful drug companies who are suppressing CAM remedies a Marxist theorist would say. Some researchers would indicate that because the traditional medical is responsible for finding the effectiveness of the CAM therapies, so it is up to them to promote