Homeopathy - What are the active ingredients? An exploratory study using the UK Medical Research Council's framework for the evaluation of complex interventions

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Volumn 6, Issue , 2006, Pages

  Thompson, Trevor D B ^a   Weiss, Marjorie ^b  

^a Academic Unit of Psychiatry   (United Kingdom)

^b University of Bath   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; AGED; ARTICLE; ATOPIC DERMATITIS; CASE STUDY; CHILD; CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME; CONSULTATION; EMPATHY; FEMALE; HOMEOPATHY; HUMAN; INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION; INTERVIEW; IRRITABLE COLON; MALE; PATIENT CARE; QUESTIONNAIRE; UNITED KINGDOM;

ADULT; DERMATITIS, ATOPIC; FATIGUE SYNDROME, CHRONIC; FEMALE; GREAT BRITAIN; HEALTH KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, PRACTICE; HOMEOPATHY; HUMANS; IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME; MALE; NARRATION; PATIENT SATISFACTION; PROSPECTIVE STUDIES; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH DESIGN; TREATMENT OUTCOME;

EID: 33845313308     PISSN: 14726882     EISSN: 14726882     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-6-37     Document Type: Article

References (47)

1. Linde K, Clausius N, Ramirez G, Melchart D, Eitel F, Hedges L, Jonas W: Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effect? A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. Lancet 1998, 350:834-843.
2. Shang A, Huwiler-Muntener K, Nartey L, Juni P, Dorig S, Sterne JA, Pewsner D, Egger M: Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy. Lancet 2005, 366:726-732.
3. Belon P, Cumps J, Ennis M, Mannaioni PF, Roberfroid M, Sainte-Laudy J, Wiegant FA: Histamine dilutions modulate basophil activation. Inflamm Res 2004, 53:181-188.
4. Witt C, Keil T, Selim D, Roll S, Vance W, Wegscheider K, Willich SN: Outcome and costs of homoeopathic and conventional treatment strategies: a comparative cohort study in patients with chronic disorders. Complement Ther Med 2005, 13:79-86.
5. Van WM, Ives G: An observational study of patients receiving homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy 2004, 93:3-11.
6. Steinsbekk A, Ludtke R: Patients' assessments of the effectiveness of homeopathic care in Norway: a prospective observational multicentre outcome study. Homeopathy 2005, 94:10-16.
7. Spence DS, Thompson EA Barron SJ: Homeopathic treatment for chronic disease: a 6-year, university-hospital outpatient observational study. J Altern Complement Med 2005, 11:793-798.
8. Campbell M, Fitzpatrick R, Haines A, Kinmonth AL, Sandercock P, Spiegelhalter D, Tyrer P: Framework for design and evaluation of complex interventions to improve health. BMJ 2000, 321:694-696.
9. Moerman DE, Jonas WB: Deconstructing the placebo effect and finding the meaning response. Ann Intern Med 2002, 19; 136:471-476.
10. Dow J: Universal aspects of symbolic healing: a theoretical synthesis. Amercian Anthropologist 1986, 88:69.
11. Gendlin E: Focusing. How to gain access to your body's knowledge 3rd edition. London, Rider; 2003.
12. Pennebaker JW, Susman JR: Disclosure of traumas and psychosomatic processes. Soc Sci Med 1988, 26:327-332.
13. White M, Epston D: Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York, W.W. Norton and Company; 1990.
14. Thompson TDB: Can the caged bird sine? Reflections on the application of qualitative research methods to case study design in homeopathic medicine. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2004, 4:.
15. Yin RK: Case study research. Designs and Methods 3nd edition. London, Sage; 2003.
16. Lewis-Jones MS, Finlay AY: The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI): initial validation and practical use. Br J Dermatol 1995, 132:942-949.
17. Bloor M: Techniques of validations in qualitative research: a critical commentary. In Context and Method in Qualitative Research Edited by: Miller G and Dingwall R. London, Sage; 1997:37-50.
18. Patrick DL, Drossman DA, Frederick IO, DiCesare J, Puder KL: Quality of life in persons with irritable bowel syndrome: development and validation of a new measure. Dig Dis Sci 1998, 43:400-411.
19. Fisk JD, Ritvo PG, Ross L, Haase DA, Marrie TJ, Schlech WF: Measuring the functional impact of fatigue: initial validation of the fatigue impact scale. Clin Infect Dis 1994, 18 Suppl 1:S79-83.: S79-S83.
20. Paterson C: Measuring outcomes in primary care: a patient generated measure, MYMOP, compared with the SF-36 health survey. BMJ 1998, 312:1016-1020.
21. Mercer SW, McConnachie A, Maxwell M, Heaney D, Watt GC: Relevance and practical use of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure in general practice. Fam Pract 2005, 22:328-334.
22. Reilly D, Duncan R, Bikker AP, Heirs M: Development of GHHOS, The IDCCIM Action Research, & the PC-HICOM Project. Interim Report, February 2003. 2003 [http://www.adhom.com].
23. Strauss A, Corbin J: Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques London, Sage; 1990.
24. Mason J: Qualitative Researching 1st edition. London, Sage; 1996.
25. Bellavite P: Complexity science and homeopathy: a synthetic overview. Homeopathy 2003, 92:203-212.
26. Walach H: Entanglement model of homeopathy as an example of generalized entanglement predicted by weak quantum theory. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2003, 10:192-200.
27. Branthwaite A, Cooper P: Analgesic effects of branding in treatment of headaches. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1981, 282:1576-1578.
28. Anda R, Williamson D, Jones D, Macera C, Eaker E, Glassman A, Marks J: Depressed affect, hopelessness, and the risk of ischemic heart disease in a cohort of U.S. adults. Epidemiology 1993, 4:285-294.
29. Honda K, Jacobson JS: Use of complementary and alternative medicine among United States adults: the influences of personality, coping strategies, and social support. Prev Med 2005, 40:46-53.
30. Caspi O, Koithan M, Criddle MW: Alternative medicine or "alternative" patients: a qualitative study of patient-oriented decision-making processes with respect to complementary and alternative medicine. Med Decis Making 2004, 24:64-79.
31. Bell IR, Lewis DA, Brooks AJ, Schwartz GE, Lewis SE, Caspi O, Cunningham V, Baldwin CM: Individual differences in response to randomly assigned active Individualized homeopathic and placebo treatment in fibromyalgia: implications of a double-blinded optional crossover design. J Altern Complement Med 2004, 10:269-283.
32. McKie R: Professor Savages Homeopathy. The Observer, 18th Dec 2005.
33. Mercer SW, Reilly D: A qualitative study of patient's views on the consultation at the Glasgow Homaeopathic Hospital, an NHS integrative complementary and orthodox medical care unit. Patient Educ Couns 2004, 53:13-18.
34. Mercer SW, Maxwell M, Heaney D, Watt GC: The consultation and relational empathy (CARE) measure: development and preliminary validation and reliability of an empathy-based consultation process measure. Fam Pract 2004,.
35. Mercer SW, Watt GC, Reilly D: Empathy is important for enablement. BMJ 2001, 322:865.
36. Bikker AP, Mercer SW, Reilly D: A pilot prospective study on the consultation and relational empathy, patient enablement, and health changes over 12 months in patients going to the Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital. J Altern Complement Med 2005, 11:591-600.
37. Mishler E: The Discourse of Medicine. Dialectics of Medical Interviews Norwood, New Jersey, Ablex Publishing Corporation; 1984.
38. Barry CA, Stevenson FA, Britten N, Barber N, Bradley CP: Giving voice to the lifeworld. More humane, more effective medical care? A qualitative study of doctor-patient communication in general practice. Soc Sci Med 2001, 53:487-505.
39. Hemenover SH: The good, the bad, and the healthy: impacts of emotional disclosure of trauma on resilient self-concept and psychological distress. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 2003, 29:1236-1244.
40. Pennebaker JW, Seagal JD: Forming a story: the health benefits of narrative. J Clin Psychol 1999, 55:1243-1254.
41. Aghadiuno M: A study of the inter-observer reliability of paper case analysis. Homeopathy 2002, 91:10-17.
42. Thompson E, Barron S, Spence D: A preliminary audit investigating remedy reactions including adverse events in routine homeopathic practice. Homeopathy 2004, 93:203-209.
43. Eskinazi D: Homeopathy re-revisited: is homeopathy compatible with biomedical observations? Arch Intern Med 1999, 159:1981-1987.
44. Caspi O, Sechrest L, Pitluk HC, Marshall CL, Bell IR, Nichter M: On the definition of complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine: societal mega-stereotypes vs. the patients' perspectives. Altern Ther Health Med 2003, 9:58-62.
45. Lewith G: Can practitioners be researchers? Complement Ther Med 2004, 12:2-5.
46. Paterson C, Dieppe P: Characteristic and incidental (placebo) effects in complex interventions such as acupuncture. BMJ 2005, 330:1202-1205.
47. Godwin M, Ruhland L, Casson I, MacDonald S, Delva D, Birtwhistle R, Lam M, Seguin R: Pragmatic controlled clinical trials in primary care: the struggle between external and internal validity. BMC Med Res Methodol 2003, 3:28.