First study to examine rural GP–complementary medicine relationship

Complementary treatment use is high in regional Australia, but patients often don’t tell their doctors, according to a University of Queensland researcher, who will conduct the world’s first study in this area.

The study, by social scientist Dr Jon Adams, aims to help improve rural health outcomes by investigating the practices and perspectives of regional general practitioners (GPs) regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM treatments include therapies such as acupuncture, naturopathy and herbal medicine.

Dr Adams has been awarded $85,000 as one of the 2007 winners of the UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards and Awards for Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision, announced last night at Brisbane’s Customs House.

Now in their ninth year, the UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards, worth $505,000 in 2007, recognise outstanding performance and leadership potential, and form part of UQ Research Week (September 17–21).

Dr Adams said the results of the research would be important for rural health delivery because the high use of CAM could have potential safety issues when combined with conventional healthcare.

“GPs are key healthcare providers, particularly in rural areas and it’s vitally important that they have as much information as possible about CAM and their patients’ use of CAM,” Dr Adams said.

“Better communication and co-ordination of services between GPs and CAM practitioners can avoid potential complications and help manage the patient journey.”

The study will focus on GPs and provide the first grassroots examination of the day-to-day understanding, experience and relationship of GPs with regard to CAM providers and medications.

It will examine a number of issues, including how many GPs practise CAM and refer patients to CAM practitioners, what type of patients this is most likely to involve and GPs’ perceptions and experiences of various CAM. Other key areas to be examined are the relationship of CAM to rural GP training and education.

“The results of the study will better equip rural healthcare providers in their bid to co-ordinate and manage healthcare for their patients. It will also give rural GPs a perspective on how their colleagues are managing the challenges of the CAM–GP interface,” Dr Adams said.

The 12-month study, to begin next year, will involve a survey to be sent out to GPs in rural New South Wales and interviews with 20 GPs.

Dr Adams said he expected this study would highlight the need for future funding in this area of research.

“CAM is an area that is growing quickly and needs as many areas of expertise as possible focused on it to help our understanding of the role CAM plays in health delivery in Australia,” he said.

Dr Adams is a senior lecturer with UQ School of Population Health. He has been researching primary health care and the practice and consumption of CAM for more than 10 years.

Media inquiries: Health Sciences F aculty Communications Officer, Marlene McKendry – 0401 99 6847.